Vikings sign safety K'Von Wallace amid Harrison Smith uncertainty

With news of Harrison Smith recovering from a personal health matter, the Minnesota Vikings have beefed up the safety room by signing veteran K'Von Wallace to the practice squad.

With Smith's status for the Sept. 8 season opener against the Chicago Bears up in the air, Wallace brings some needed depth to the roster. The 28-year-old was a fourth-round pick by the Eagles in 2020 and he's played 71 games with four teams ever since.

Wallace is the second safety on Minnesota's practice squad, joining Kahlef Hailassie, who was signed Wednesday after a strong training camp and preseason. The three safeties on top of the depth chart alongside Smith are Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson and Jay Ward, so it remains to be seen if Wallace or Hailassie will be activated from the practice squad and get some game action in the regular season.

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Wallace played three seasons with the Eagles and then split time between the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans in 2023. Last season, he played in nine games with the Seattle Seahawks. His best season was in '23, when he started 12 games and posted career-highs with two interceptions and 89 tackles between Arizona and Tennessee.

Wallace's 2024 season was limited to nine games due to a season-ending ankle injury suffered on Nov. 3 against the Los Angeles Rams. He elected free agency in March and wound up signing with the New York Giants on July 22, but he was cut by the Giants prior to this week's 53-man roster deadline.

What's going on with Harrison Smith? According to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, the veteran safety has been out with a "personal health issue," which the Star Tribune's Ben Goessling says is not related to mental health.

"Sources say Harrison Smith, who last practiced Aug. 11, is recovering from a personal health issue and is expected to make a full recovery," Seifert posted on X. "The Vikings haven't put him on IR, and he was named a 2025 captain. Will be evaluated weekly."

If Smith does miss the opener, the Vikings would lean on Jackson in the starting lineup alongside Metellus, with Ward also a candidate to see playing time.

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