Former Vikings draft pick cut by Chiefs in recent 53-man roster projection

Irv Smith Jr. signed with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this year with the hopes of helping the team win a Super Bowl for the third season in a row. But based on a recent 53-man roster projection, the former Minnesota Vikings tight end might not get that opportunity.

On Friday, The Athletic's Nate Taylor shared his final 53-man roster projection for the Chiefs, and he doesn't have Smith making the team's regular-season roster. Instead, Taylor predicts Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, and Jared Wiley will be the only tight ends Kansas City keeps around for the upcoming 2024 campaign.

Taylor notes that the former Vikings second-round draft pick could remain with the Chiefs after final cuts are made if he signs with the team's practice squad. But Smith is still only 26, so he will probably generate interest from multiple teams if Kansas City chooses to part with him before the regular season.

If the Kansas City Chiefs cut Irv Smith Jr., should the Minnesota Vikings bring him back?

Let's say Smith actually does become available by next Tuesday when final rosters need to be set, should Minnesota consider bringing him back to the Twin Cities?

At the very least, the Vikings could keep him on their roster until T.J. Hockenson is ready to return to the field during the upcoming season.

Hockenson has been making great progress in the last several months as he continues to recover from the torn ACL he suffered last December. But he's not expected to play in Minnesota's first few games, and without him, the team won't really have much of a pass-catching threat at the tight end position.

Josh Oliver is a very talented tight end, but he's known more for his strengths as a blocker and not as a receiver. Johnny Mundt is good enough to earn a spot on the Vikings' final roster, but he's never caught more than 19 passes in a single season during his NFL career.

Minnesota did add veteran tight end Robert Tonyan earlier this year, but he's been dealing with a back injury recently, and his status for the regular season is unknown. Nick Muse has a good shot at making the Vikings' final 53 this year, but he's going to emerge as a top target in the team's passing attack when the regular season begins.

With Smith, Minnesota is already familiar with what he can bring to the table, and he's arguably a better receiving option than any of the tight ends the team currently has on its roster until Hockenson returns.

If the Chiefs do decide to move on from Smith in the near future, it wouldn't be a terrible idea for the Vikings should at least consider bringing him back to the franchise that drafted him in 2019.

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