Once-Vaunted Vikings WR to Make Chiefs Debut in Week 14
When the Minnesota Vikings selected wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, it seemed like he had potential to be a future star. Between his size and speed, the former Iowa Hawkeye carried a skillset suitable to the NFL.
However, the journey has not been easy for the second-year receiver. Minnesota waived him in August, and while the Chicago Bears gave him a chance by claiming him, just six weeks into the 2022 season, he hit the market again after Chicago waived him. Now, the once-vaunted Vikings WR is set to make his debut with the Kansas City Chiefs after they signed him to their practice squad and activated him for Week 14.
During the 2021 season, Smith-Marsette didn’t see much playing time with the Vikings offense. That being said, he certainly flashed down the stretch of that regular season. Over the course of the year, he caught five of six targets for 115 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In his sole start of the season, Week 18, he caught three passes, gained 103 yards, and even scored a touchdown.
This closing performance by the rookie led many fans to believe the Vikings were onto something special with the receiver. That seemed to continue into training camp as he was essentially listed as the WR4 on Minnesota’s unofficial depth chart, behind Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and KJ Osborn.
Because of this emergence, it came as a massive surprise to see the Vikings not only waive Smith-Marsette, but also trade for Jalen Reagor from the Philadelphia Eagles. Nevertheless, it seems like the Vikings once again have come out on the better end of this exchange.
The Bears claimed Smith-Marsette off waivers one day after the Vikings let him go; it was just one of many moves to bring former Vikings to the Windy City. However, he had a very limited impact in Chicago, other than essentially losing a game for them in Week 5 against his old team. On the final drive of the game, Smith-Marsette had a reception ripped away from him by Cam Dantzler. It was the only reception during his tenure in Chicago.
Following a Week 6 loss to the Commanders where Smith-Marsette netted a total of -1 yards, the Bears waived him again. A few days later, the Chiefs signed him to their practice squad, and now the second-year receiver is hoping to revive his career. There isn’t a much better place to do that than in Kansas City with Andy Reid coaching and Patrick Mahomes throwing the ball.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.