Vikings cut Harrison Smith, but one huge question still remains

Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith | Jeffrey Becker - Imagn ImagesOn Wednesday, the Minnesota Vikings made the decision to release longtime safety Harrison Smith, and at first glance, this move would seem to clear a path for the future Hall of Famer to retire. However, that might not be the case.

Smith's release isn't just a normal expiring contract departure. Instead, the Vikings designated his release as a post-June 1st exit, meaning they won't receive any salary cap relief from the transaction until after June 1st.

Without this designation, the release would cost Minnesota $6.3 million in current cap space, according to OverTheCap.com. But now, $1.3 million will come off the books for…