National Media Not as High on Irv Smith Jr. as Viking Fans

Irv Smith Jr.
Nov 8, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith (84) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Longstanding Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph departed the franchise in March, paving a pathway for the 31-year-old to join the New York Giants soon after. Rudolph accompanies a slew of weapons in New York with names like Saquon Barkley and Kenny Golladay. The Giants quarterback, Daniel Jones, will have “no excuses” after his third campaign as he should have the weaponry necessary to succeed.

Rudolph was a part of the Vikings for ten full seasons, grabbing clutch touchdowns ad nauseam. He even walked off the New Orleans Sants in a playoff game 16 months ago after snatching a game-winning jump-ball from Kirk Cousins.

But now he plays football in New Jersey.

That would normally create a vacuum at tight end, but Minnesota already drafted Rudolph’s heir apparent in 2019. Irv Smith Jr. will assume TE1 status this September, ending a TE1-TE2 unspoken battle with Rudolph that lasted most of 2020.

Because Smith was drafted with 2nd-Round draft capital two years ago, he is the clear-cut replacement for Rudolph. Tyler Conklin, who played admirably down the stretch in the pandemic season, will slip into Smith’s previous TE2 role. And fans are high on Smith. He has the “football bloodlines” angle as his father — also named Irv Smith — played seven seasons of professional football, mostly with the aforementioned Saints.

Vikings fans would generally consider Smith a mid-tier tight end heading into 2021, banking most Smith-oriented enthusiasm on youth and potential. Yet, that may be a hometown bias.

Pro Football Focus released its 2021 Tight End Rankings, and Smith placed rather low. PFF names Smith as the 26th-best tight end in the business — or “seventh-worst” if adjudicated as a batch of 32 TE1s leaguewide. PFF’s Ben Linsey wrote about Smith:

Smith will have an opportunity to make a big jump up this list next offseason given that he is expected to have an increased role in 2021 following the departure of Rudolph to New York. His raw receiving numbers in 2020 were on par with his rookie production in 2019, but Smith got to those numbers more efficiently. He averaged over three yards more per reception last season and saw his receiving grade jump from 62.0 to 75.4. The Vikings will hope for another step forward in 2021.

To date, Smith has been deprived of targets usually granted to a bonafide starting tight end. Why? Because those were shared with Rudolph. With Rudolph “out of the way,” Smith will get his first crack at the undisputed allotment of TE1 targets from Cousins. In 2020, Smith was targeted just 3.3 times per game. A tight end like Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders was targeted by Derek Carr nine times per game.

Just like Kirk Cousins and head coach Mike Zimmer, 2021 will serve as an indicative year for the future of Smith. Cousins and Zimmer must deliver at least a playoff win to continue on with confidence into 2022. Smith’s requirement is to prove he can be trusted as a reliable TE1.

Per PFF, though, Smith is currently bedfellows with tight ends like Eric Ebron, Hayden Hurst, and Anthony Firkser.

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