Ihmir Smith-Marsette Gets a Zimmerian Stamp of Approval
Based on Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer’s comments earlier in the week. it seemed rookie wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette might be on the roster bubble. Zimmer announced that the rookie must improve his special-teams acumen to make the squad.
And about two weeks ago, ESPN projected the Vikings 53-man roster — without Ihmir Smith-Marsette. It was a curious prediction as Smith-Marsette performed well early in training camp, meshing instantly with fellow rookie, Kellen Mond.
The tarot cards indicated Smith-Marsette was heading to a practice squad life in 2021 — which isn’t unheard of for a Vikings rookie.
Then on Thursday, Smith-Marsette received a little-known and prophetic endorsement from Zimmer. As strange as it may sound, when Zimmer calls a rookie a “good player,” it truly means that man is really good and destined for success.
Good player was exactly the phrasing Zimmer used to describe Smith-Marsette who is entangled in a battle for the Vikings WR4-WR6 jobs.
Zimmer was asked about Ihmir Smith-Marsette again. Said "He's gonna be a good player. I'm trying to get him better on special teams because he's going to have that role. He's still going to have to do better there."
Zimmer seems confident in ISM's ability as an offensive player
— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) August 12, 2021
The temptation here is to think “he called him a good player — who cares?” On the surface, that is accurate. However, when Zimmer goes out of his way to commend a player in this fashion, good stuff follows. Here are some receipts:
The Mike Zimmer "good player" seal of approval for rookies, bestowed today on Ihmir Smith-Marsette. https://t.co/fEr1x71KBh pic.twitter.com/QsQEqDmTOt
— Krauser (@Krauserrific) August 12, 2021
A versatile speedster, Smith-Marsette is a player that caused Vikings enthusiasts a lot of excitement during and after the 2021 NFL Draft. The Vikings notoriously limp by at WR3, so there was optimism that, in time, Smith-Marsette could mature into that role. For now, the WR3 tussle seems like a two-man race between free-agent signee Dede Westbrook and the upstart K.J. Osborn. Westbrook has a WR3 credo whereas Osborn dazzled at Vikings training camp. For betting odds, it’s probably a coinflip between Westbrook and Osborn as to who heads to Cincinnati in Week 1 as WR3.
Smith-Marsette can still have an impact, though. Two pass-catchers were beset by vicious injuries at training camp. First, Bisi Johnson was lost to a torn ACL. He played WR3 snaps in 2019 as a rookie but was targeted a bit less in 2020. This week, rookie Blake Proehl injured his knee. He, too, is expected to miss all of 2021. In a morbid way, Smith-Marsette’s pathway to playing time is now more achievable.
If Minnesota can finally figure out a steady WR3 in Westbrook or Osborn, why stop there? Smith-Marsette can reasonably attain WR4 or WR5 targets, setting his sights on 2022 and 2023 as breakout campaigns when the Vikings roster inevitably turns over per annual NFL tradition.
Zimmer asked [through the media] for the rookie to improve his special-teams play — which likely means Smith-Marsette will claw his way up the depth chart with intangibles. Adam Thielen can tell the Iowa alumnus all about it.
One of the offseason’s most fascinating mysteries is how Klint Kubiak — who took over for his father, Gary — will run the Vikings offense. Will it be a cookie-cutter to Gary Kubiak’s 2020 scheme? Could new wrinkles change it up? Does the son Kubiak prefer to pass more?
Should more passing be on the docket, Smith-Marsette could see attention in the Vikings offense. None of the wide receivers after Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen are household names. Ergo, this “good player” in Smith-Marsette might see a some rookie action.