Getty General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings suffered their first serious bite from the injury bug Sunday, which could lead to a trade for a playmaker on offense.
Irv Smith Jr. sustained what the team believes to be a high ankle sprain, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. While timelines for sprains can vary, the tight end may find himself out as many as six weeks. The Vikings were already looking to add another field stretcher to the wide receiver room and now have the option to look for a big-play threat at tight end as well.
Among the options potentially available via trade, Mike Gesicki of the Miami Dolphins is probably the most dynamic playmaker at the position. He produced consecutive seasons of 700-plus receiving yards in 2020 and 2021, and has caught 17 touchdown passes over the previous four campaigns.
Gesicki’s Trade Cost Likely to Prove High for Vikings
GettyTight end Mike Gesicki of the Miami Dolphins celebrates after a catch during the first quarter of a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 23, 2022.
Gesicki has caught 21 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns this season, though his fit under Dolphins new head coach Mike McDaniel is precarious, to put it favorably.
Not known for his blocking ability, Gesicki is something of a liability in Miami’s zone run scheme that is modeled after Kyle Shanahan’s system with the San Francisco 49ers. Because of that, Gesicki has been used less frequently — receiving 30 targets through eight games this season after racking up 112 looks last year — and doesn’t figure to be back with the Dolphins in 2023.
However, playing on the franchise tag for more than $10.9 million this season means that Gesicki will hit free agency this summer with no guarantee he would return to Minnesota, even if the Vikings decided to pay him. In essence, his contract situation renders Gesicki a rental. That contract, along with the likely trade cost of a mid-round draft pick, is a steep price to pay for half of a season and a playoff run.
However, the Vikings (6-1) find themselves in second place in a weak NFC and have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. There’s an old adage that one never has to apologize after winning a championship, meaning giving up a little in the long game can be worth it if the move results in a ring.
How aggressive Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is over the next 24 hours in seeking a replacement for the injured Smith and tracking down a second big-play receiver will say a lot about how the rookie general manager views his team and its chances to go all the way in 2022.
Vikings Have Less Exciting Options at Tight End Than Gesicki
GettyTight end Kyle Rudolph, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, is a potential trade target for the team following an ankle sprain suffered by Irv Smith Jr.
Minnesota doesn’t have to make a splash at tight end, and there are other options for them if they don’t want to pay a high price for Gesicki.
Former Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph is one such option. He departed Minnesota following the 2020 campaign, spending one season with the New York Giants and landing this year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rudolph has been used sparingly in Tampa Bay’s offense, catching just two passes for 20 yards on the season, and is likely to welcome any way off of the Bucs’ sinking ship.
Niners tight end Ross Dwelley is also a potential fit if the Vikings decide to go in a direction entirely opposite from the one Gesicki represents. Dwelley has made his way in the NFL primarily as a blocker in the run game, never catching more than 19 passes in a season over the course of his five-year career.