Will Kyle Rudolph be better or worse for the Vikings in 2019?

The addition of Irv Smith Jr.

The Vikings used a second-round pick to draft the Alabama star tight end, last April. There is no doubt about it, Irv Smith Jr. is the future of the Vikings tight end position. The questions that remain are how soon will he adjust to the NFL game and when will the Vikings start seeing a return on their high Draft investment?

Chances are high that Smith is one of those rookies that will make an immediate impact. He has great athletic ability and can get a ton of extra yardage after the catch. Another thing in his favor is that Gary Kubiak loves two tight end sets, so he will see the field a lot more than he may have if a different team drafted him.

With him being on the field often, it’s hard to imagine that he won’t be cutting into some of Kyle Rudolph’s targets. In fact, early in the season, teams may opt to double team Rudolph as he’s already an established threat. That could leave Smith one-on-one with his man and lead to some explosive plays for him.

The more he begins to produce, the more Kirk Cousins could begin to look his way. This will be good for the Vikings but bad for Rudolph and from a statistical perspective could cut into his overall production.