Once-Promising Viking Dropped by the Champs
The end could be near for Irv Smith Jr.
Once-Promising Viking Dropped by the Champs
The Kansas City Chiefs released Smith Jr. on Tuesday amid roster cutdowns and did not add the veteran tight end to their practice squad, at least not yet.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted, “Chiefs released former second-round pick, tight end Irv Smith.”
Kansas City will roll with this TE group in 2024:
- Travis Kelce
- Noah Gray
- Jared Wiley
- Peyton Hendershot
- Baylor Cupp (PS)
It’s worth noting that the Chiefs could theoretically still reunite with Smith Jr., but that may be unlikely with five tight ends already associated with the roster.
Smith Jr., 26, was drafted by the Vikings in the 2nd Round of the 2019 NFL Draft and possessed oodles of upside during his entire Minnesota tenure. But the club traded for T.J. Hockenson in November 2022, spelling the beginning of the end to Smith’s career in purple.
He then latched onto the Cincinnati Bengals, on deck for a career reclamation — that never happened. Smith Jr. tallied 18 catches for 115 yards in 12 games, also known as TE4 numbers. Chiefs fans hoped his potential could be unlocked with the NFL’s best player, Patrick Mahomes, but that probably would’ve happened in 2023 with Joe Burrow and friends. Or any season with the Vikings.
Smith Jr. was a part of the Vikings offense for four years but was overshadowed by veteran TE1 Kyle Rudolph in 2019 and 2020 and encountered injuries in 2021 and 2022. Since the start of 2019, Smith has registered 109 receptions on 152 targets for 973 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s averaged 19.8 receiving yards per game and missed 44% of all Vikings games due to injury. When he played, Smith made a difference at times but also experienced a couple of crucial dropped passes.
He suffered a high ankle sprain in October 2022 versus the Arizona Cardinals, an injury sidelining him for about two months. Soon after, the Vikings traded for the aforementioned Hockenson, and the former Detroit Lion — beyond the shadow of a doubt — made the TE1 job his own.
Kansas City signed Smith Jr. in March during the first wave of free agency, an indicator that the Super Bowl champs valued him. Fast-forward to August, and he’s once again seeking employment.
The Chiefs have the league’s best odds to win the Super Bowl next year, with a +550 moneyline. It should be mentioned that Smith Jr. performed decently this summer at training camp and in the preseason. Some Chiefs-themed voices thought he’d make the final roster. No luck.
One might wonder how many auditions Smith Jr. has left before trying a league like the UFL, for example.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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