MANKATO, Minn. — It likely won’t happen soon, but safety Harrison Smith is primed to eventually re-sign with the Vikings.

The Pioneer Press had reported Sunday that the Vikings don’t plan to sign Smith to an extension this year because it is generally not team policy to do such deals on players with more than one year left on their contracts. Smith, who is eligible for an extension but under contract through 2016, vows to remain patient and doesn’t foresee any reason he won’t end up remaining long term in Minnesota.

“There’s no doubt this is where I want to be,” Smith said Tuesday at training camp.

So does that mean Vikings’ fans should expect Smith to still be with the team in 2017?

“You can count on it,” he said.

Minnesota last May picked up Smith’s fifth-year option of $5.278 million for 2016. While players taken in the first round have such options available, others drafted get just four-year deals.

The Vikings last Sunday signed kicker Blair Walsh, a 2012 sixth-round pick, to a four-year extension. But Smith said general manager Rick Spielman had told him during spring drills that the team likely would not change its policy and sign him to an extension this year.

“I’m fine with it,” Smith said. “Rick and I kind of talked about it and that’s what I thought would happen.”

Vikings safety Robert Blanton, Smith’s teammate at Notre Dame, believes he is being sincere about having no desire to leave the Vikings.

“Oh, yeah,” Blanton said. “He loves Minnesota.”

Smith is one of the team’s top defensive players. Many believe he should have been selected for the Pro Bowl last season, but it didn’t bother him at all not being selected.

“Making the Pro Bowl is not one of my goals,” Smith said. “The type of goals that I have are things that will help the team win.”

Smith wouldn’t offer specifics on goals for this season. However, he said he has plenty to work on, including becoming a “better blitzer.”

“Nobody’s perfect,” Smith said. “Everybody has something that they have to do to get better.”

Being in a similar situation to Smith from a contract standpoint is Minnesota left tackle Matt Kalil, a 2012 first-round pick who had his fifth-year option picked up for $11.096 million for 2016. The Vikings also don’t have plans to offer Kalil an extension this year.

Other members of the 2012 draft class still with the Vikings are cornerback Josh Robinson (third round), wide receiver Jarius Wright (fourth), tight end Rhett Ellison (fourth), Blanton (fifth) and linebacker Audie Cole (seventh). It’s possible all could be bound for free agency in March.

Follow Chris Tomasson at twitter.com/christomasson.