Former Vikings second-round pick reportedly cut by Chiefs

If the Kansas City Chiefs figure out a way to win their third Super Bowl in a row this season, former Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. won't be celebrating with him

After signing with the Chiefs back in March, Smith's time with the franchise has come to an end as the team reportedly released him on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The former Vikings second-round draft pick was believed to be on Kansas City's roster bubble after the team's final preseason game last week, and now, he'll need to find a new home if he wants to continue his NFL career this season.

Tenure with Kansas City Chiefs short-lived for former Minnesota Vikings TE Irv Smith Jr.

When Minnesota selected Smith in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the expectation was that he would eventually replace longtime Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph.

Coming out of Alabama, Smith was one of the top tight end prospects in the entire 2019 draft pool, and his selection created a bunch of excitement within the Minnesota fan base.

He showed some flashes of potential during his rookie campaign with the Vikings, finishing with 36 catches for 311 yards and two touchdowns. Smith had similar numbers in 2020, but heading into the 2021 season, there was a ton of hype surrounding the young Minnesota tight end.

He had an impressive training camp with the Vikings, and everything was pointing to him having a breakout performance in 2021. Unfortunately, Smith suffered a knee injury in one of Minnesota's preseason games that summer, and it required surgery that forced him to sit out for the entire 2021 season.

He returned to the field for the Vikings in 2022, but he only appeared in eight games, and ever since that knee injury, he's never really been the same.

In 2023, he and Minnesota went their separate ways, and he landed a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. Hoping that a fresh start would get his NFL career back on track, it was more of the same for Smith, as he only hauled in 18 passes for 115 yards and one touchdown in 12 appearances with the Bengals last season.

With the Chiefs now deciding to cut him before the start of the 2024 regular season, it's difficult to predict what could be next for the former Vikings tight end. Smith will likely attempt to join another team this year, but it seems like his time in the league is probably close to the end unless something drastically changes.

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