4 players the Vikings should avoid extending during the 2022 offseason

Irv Smith Jr. – TE

A year ago, at this time, Irv Smith Jr. appeared to be on a path that would result in the Vikings giving him an extension before his contract runs out in 2023.

However, Smith has been out for the entire 2021 season after he had surgery to repair a knee injury. So now, an extension for the young tight end during the 2022 offseason doesn’t seem as likely.

There’s still a chance that Minnesota could offer Smith an extension during the next few months based on what they think his potential could be. But the smart decision for the Vikings would be to not try and extend the tight end before the start of the 2022 season.

The impact of knee injuries is so difficult to predict, so it would be pretty foolish of Minnesota to give Smith an extension before he returns to the field.

While the Vikings could potentially save some money by extending the tight end this summer, the best choice for the team would be to let Smith play out the final year of his deal and see if he’s worth trying to bring back in 2023.