Irv Smith Jr. has the athleticism to make big plays from the TE position. (Photo by Tom ... [+]
The Minnesota Vikings were done in last year by a Swiss Cheese-like defense that got pushed around by bigger, stronger teams and lacked a pass rush that could impact opposing quarterbacks.
While the defense was a cross between awful and pitiful, the offense was a threat to light up the scoreboard most weeks. They had one of the most dangerous running backs in the league in Dalvin Cook, a powerful 1-2 combination at wide receiver with Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, and a widely criticized quarterback in Kirk Cousins who nevertheless ended up with impressive numbers.
The Vikings also had a solid combination at the tight end position, as they were led by the veteran Kyle Rudolph along with Irv Smith Jr. and Tyler Conklin. Rudolph will not be with the Vikings in 2021, as the 31-year-old signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the with the New York Giants.
Rudolph had been a solid weapon with the Vikings, establishing himself as both a solid third-down and red zone weapon. However, Rudolph has not been a downfield threat in recent years as he lacks speed and elusiveness.
He missed four games last year and his numbers were down significantly. He caught 28 passes for 334 yards and one touchdown. He caught a career-best 83 passes for 840 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016, and while he had been a solid contributor since then, he is almost certainly past his peak.
That is part of the reason the Vikings didn’t bring him back, with the salary cap being an issue as well. They gave dynamic pass rusher Danielle Hunter a raise (cap hit of $13.37 million in 2021), signed free-agent defensive tackles Dalvin Tomlinson and Michael Pierce, and they also brought in game-changing cornerback Patrick Peterson.
The Vikings may be better off at the tight end spot without Rudolph than they were with him. While Smith does not the consistent production that Rudolph had as he prepares for his third season with the Vikings, he has substantial talent and could turn out to be a game-changing threat.
Smith is 6-2 and 242 pounds, and he has excellent speed and athleticism for a man so large. Smith caught 36 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2019, and he followed that up with 30 receptions for 365 yards and five TDs last year. Most importantly, 22 of his receptions resulted in first downs. Smith knows how to use his size to wall off defenders, and his hands are good enough to make difficult catches.
Tyler Conklin should play a key role for the Vikings at tight end in 2021. (Photo by Stephen ... [+]
It's not all on Smith to get the job done at the tight end position, because Conklin proved himself to be a potential weapon last year, his third in the league. Conklin doesn’t have huge numbers, but he caught 19 passes for 194 yards and one touchdowns. A further look shows that 11 of Conklin’s receptions resulted in first downs, and that’s almost certainly the reason he could play a key role for the Vikings this year.
Head coach Mike Zimmer expects both Smith and Conklin to play important roles, and he appears to have confidence in both players.
“I think it’s a bigger role for [fellow tight end] Tyler Conklin,” Zimmer told ESPN.com. “He’s kind of emerged as a guy that’s moving upward and with those two guys, we have a lot of weapons there. Irv always has been able to do what he’s been able to do whether Kyle was here or not. Obviously, Kyle’s a great kid and we miss him, but we’re excited about these two young tight ends that we have.”
Smith appears to be in far better shape than he was in either of his first two seasons, according to offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Athleticism was Smith’s top attribute coming into the league as a rookie, but he was raw.
Now he understands his role, he’s better prepared than he has ever been and the Vikings are counting on him. A quick start in the season’s first month could help Smith become one of the top players at his position.
