Harrison Smith is on the Vikings’ active roster, but he did not play in the season opener because of a personal health issue. The safety practiced last Saturday for the first time since Aug. 11.
He said he has made progress and expects to resume playing within three weeks.
Smith, speaking for the first time since his issue began, would not elaborate on his health ordeal other than to say it’s physical and not mental.
“I’m just trying to get my conditioning up,” Smith said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “I’m going to go out there and see how much I can handle and go from there. I’ve already moved around , and I’m moving around well. It’s just volume and conditioning.”
The Vikings did not place Smith on injured reserve, expecting him to return before the four-game minimum absence. He expects the same.
“We’re kind of fluid with if I’m ready to go or not, and if I am going to help the team or not,” Smith said. “That all matters. But I expect to be back before [the four-week mark.]”
The six-time Pro Bowler has missed only eight games since the start of the 2017 season. He played 16 of 17 games last season.
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