The biggest firecrackers on the 2019 Minnesota Vikings

Irv Smith Jr.

Yes, he’s a rookie. Yes, he plays a position where there is an established star, but Irv Smith Jr. could very well be one of the biggest and most explosive firecrackers on the 2019 Vikings.

Smith is super athletic, he has good speed, and he has excellent hands. Where he is truly elite is his ability to gain yards after the catch. This guy is dangerous with the ball in his hands. He is hard to bring down and he can turn on the jets to gain a lot of extra yardage after he hauls in one of Kirk Cousins’ passes.

Smith should see a lot of playing time in his rookie season. New Minnesota offensive advisor Gary Kubiak loves multiple tight end sets and that should pair Smith with Kyle Rudolph in a lot of situations.

Early in the season, teams will likely hone in on Rudolph and look to stop him first. He’s an established threat and defenses are aware of the elite pass catcher he can be.

This could put Smith one-on-one with a linebacker and that would be a huge mismatch. Situations like this could lead to some explosive plays down the field for Smith and the Vikings’ offense in general.

Smith has also proven to be a viable red-zone target and he could see a lot of money balls come his way in 2019. The biggest thing for Smith during the upcoming preseason is to establish a rapport with Cousins.

He needs to gain Cousins trust. And if he does, he should fulfill his destiny as one of the most explosive firecrackers for Minnesota’s offense this season.