How the Vikings can best utilize Irv Smith Jr. in 2019
By Chris Schad
The Minnesota Vikings rookie tight end could be a huge beneficiary after the Rudolph extension as he’s freed up to add a wrinkle into the Vikings offense.
For years, the Minnesota Vikings have craved an athletic tight end to pair with Kyle Rudolph. To satisfy that craving, the Vikings have tried multiple ways to get one, signing John Carlson to a free agent deal in 2012 and drafting a tight end in each of the past five offseasons. Of those five tight ends, only David Morgan remains on the Vikings current roster and he is more of a blocking tight end, meaning the Vikings have whiffed on this idea more often than not.
In this year’s draft, the Vikings went back to the athletic tight end pool to select Irv Smith Jr. While it appears that general manager Rick Spielman will continue to blindly swing until he connects with the piñata, the Alabama product seems like a different prospect not only due to his second-round draft capital, but because of the skill set he brings to the table.
After the selection, many felt like he would be a replacement for Rudolph, but that thought was put to bed when the 29-year-old signed a five-year extension last week. With Rudolph in the fold for the foreseeable future, the Minnesota Vikings can now utilize the versatile Smith in areas other than the traditional tight end role.