Getty Irv Smith Jr. #84 and Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrate a play against the Miami Dolphins during a game at Hard Rock Stadium on October 16, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings‘ offensive options have grown over the course of the season and will only continue to do so when they bring one of their top weapons back into the mix.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said on Wednesday, December 7, that he expects tight end Irv Smith Jr. to return to active status before the end of the season, at which point the Vikings plan to pair him alongside T.J. Hockenson and create a dynamic TE duo.
“You know, I think we will,” O’Connell said of having Hockenson and Smith on the field together before the year is out. “I just think that gives you some personnel grouping flexibility in addition to [TE] Johnny Mundt and [fullback] C.J. Ham.”
“You can line up a lot of different ways regardless of who’s in the game,” the Vikings head coach continued. “The versatility of being able to play the game a lot of different ways is something that we’re doing currently, but hopefully when we can get Irv back [we can do even more]. And he’s doing a great job every single day — meetings, rehab, he’s in the mix with our guys. He’s been phenomenal.”
Irv Smith Jr. Has Struggled Through Injury-Riddled Tenure With Vikings
GettyTight end Irv Smith Jr., of the Minnesota Vikings, plays during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs on August 27, 2021 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
That Smith is expected to return to the lineup is the first bit of good news for the tight end in quite some time.
The former second-round pick in 2019 suffered a high ankle sprain against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8 that was expected to sideline him between 8-10 weeks, or essentially the remainder of the regular season, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The ankle issue came on the heels of a thumb injury that nagged Smith throughout the month of August and a torn meniscus during the 2021 preseason. Just days after Smith sprained the ankle, the Vikings traded with the Detroit Lions for Hockenson, a former Pro Bowler, which fueled speculation that Smith’s tenure with the Vikings might have reached its end after four tumultuous years.
Smith’s Run in Minnesota Likely Over Following Season, as Vikings Move Ahead With Hockenson
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings looks on against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half of a game at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 4, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Smith’s rookie contract is up at the end of 2022 and despite his injury history, the tight end will probably be looking to sign a substantive deal. Such an agreement is likely to be deemed a redundancy by Minnesota’s front office after they brought in Hockenson, but Smith’s return to the field at the end of this season and into the playoffs is good for both the player and his team alike.
Smith will get a chance to establish himself post-injury and pre-contract negotiations, while the Vikings will add another weapon to their arsenal as they try to navigate their way to a Super Bowl. Once Minnesota’s run is finished, it makes the most sense to move forward with Hockenson as the featured tight end, keeping Smith on the roster only if doing so is financially feasible.
“The tight end position and having a player like T.J. allows you to have the ability to manipulate some formations and get matchups depending on how they wanna cover [the other offensive threats],” O’Connell said Wednesday. “The tight end position just provides you a resource that allows you to have some matchup advantages.”
“And then he’s a really, really good player and just his skill set to catch the football, get open and catch the football … he’s proven [he can] do that in this league,” O’Connell added. “We just try to give him opportunities to do things he’s comfortable doing, that he’s had success doing, and that happens to be a lot of things, which makes it fun as a coach.”