6 young Vikings likely to be cut before the 2022 season
By Adam Patrick
T.J. Smith – DT
If you’re a defensive tackle trying to make an NFL roster, you probably don’t want to end a preseason game as the team’s leader in missed tackles. Well, for T.J. Smith, this is exactly what happened.
Smith was on the field for 40 of Minnesota’s defensive snaps last weekend against the 49ers, and he finished his day with four missed tackles according to PFF. Some starting defenders around the league don’t even have four missed tackles in an entire season.
Compare this performance to the play of T.Y. McGill this preseason, and it’s not hard to determine which defensive tackle the Vikings are going to keep on their final roster.
Smith is still young enough (25-years-old) that he can fix some of his flaws so that he can earn a spot in the NFL. But he just hasn’t made a big enough impact for Minnesota this summer to convince the coaching staff that he deserves a spot on their final 53-man roster.