Minnesota Vikings 2019 in Review: Grading the offense
By Chris Schad
Tight Ends
The tight end position was another cut and dry area for the Vikings as they looked to add a dynamic playmaker to the position prior to the 2019 NFL Draft. Although he was taken ahead of Tennessee phenom A.J. Brown, Irv Smith Jr. got off to a solid start to his NFL career and improved as the season went along.
The Vikings’ second-round pick put up modest numbers in his rookie year, but all were numbers that set franchise records for a rookie tight end. With 36 catches, 311 yards, and two touchdowns, Smith began to see the field more in the latter stages of the season and as the youngest member of the Vikings draft class (he won’t turn 22 until August), there’s plenty of potentials to be had.
Alongside Smith was steady veteran Kyle Rudolph, who kind of is what he is at this point in his career. When Thielen went down with his hamstring injury, Rudolph picked up plenty of slack, recording six touchdowns from Weeks 7 through 14.
What’s perplexing is that the Vikings didn’t use him more despite that touchdown binge, especially after signing him to a lucrative contract extension last offseason. With the money on that extension coming due in the next couple years, it’s fair to wonder if Rudolph will be used more going forward or if the Vikings will be satisfied having him play the role as a highly-paid blocker.