1 DAY AGO • SACBEE.COM
Look: Irv Smith Jr. Signs Contract With Bengals Cincinnati added the tight end to the 2023 crew earlier this week.
Bengals Sign Irv Smith Jr. The Bengals today signed unrestricted free agent TE Irv Smith Jr. to a one-year contract for the 2023 season.
1 DAY AGO • BENGALS.COM
Photos: Best Of Irv Smith Jr. So Far Check out the best photos of TE Irv Smith Jr. from his career so far.
1 DAY AGO • BENGALS.COM
Look: New Bengals Tight End Irv Smith Jr. Wears Stripes For First Time in Latest Edit The 24-year-old is Cincinnati bound
1 DAY AGO • NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Bengals Film Breakdown: What Irv Smith Jr. Adds to Cincinnati's Offense The Bengals are signing Smith to a one-year contract
2 DAYS AGO • NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Irv Smith Jr. On Joe Burrow: 'He's Been Outstanding' Smith is the Bengals newest tight end.
2 DAYS AGO • NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Irv Smith Jr. On Joe Burrow: 'He's Been Outstanding' Smith is the Bengals newest tight end.
2 DAYS AGO • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM
Vikings hit free agency with need at CB, salary cap strapped
The Minnesota Vikings are entering free agency with a salary cap crunch and pressing needs yet again at a vital positionMARCH 10 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Set to hit free agency Over eight regular-season games, Smith recorded 25 receptions (on 36 targets) for 182 yards and two touchdowns in 2022.
Impact Smith got out to a solid start over the first seven games of the season before landing on IR with a high-ankle sprain. The 2019 second-round pick then was activated ahead of the regular-season finale, though he'd already lost his No. 1 tight end spot to T.J. Hockenson, whom the Vikings acquired via trade from Detroit just before Smith went on injured reserve Nov. 1. Smith then finished the campaign by catching one of two targets while playing just four offensive snaps in the wild-card loss to the Giants. He thus finished the 2022 campaign with the lowest receiving marks of his career outside of the 2021 season, when he sat out every game due to a meniscus injury. Smith now is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, leaving it possible he isn't retained by the Vikings.
JANUARY 24 • ROTOWIRE
Super Wild Card Weekend highlights: Bengals survive Ravens; Giants, Bills win
NFL Super Wild Card Weekend continues Sunday with the Ravens battling the Bengals. Here are the top plays!JANUARY 15
Cousins locates Irv Smith Jr. in back of end zone for TD Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins locates tight end Irv Smith Jr. in the back of end zone for a 3-yard touchdown.
JANUARY 15 • NFL.COM
Three catches in return from injury Smith gathered in all three targets for 14 yards during Sunday's 29-13 win over Chicago.
Impact It was Smith's first game since suffering a high-ankle sprain in an Oct. 30 win over the Cardinals. He'll work as the second tight end behind T.J. Hockenson, but Sunday's game showed he could have a role in the playoffs. He started at tight end with T.J. Hockenson when the Vikings opened in a two-tight end sets. He won't get many targets, but he may get significant snaps.
JANUARY 9 • ROTOWIRE
Comes off IR Smith (ankle) was activated off injured reserve Saturday.
Impact The trade-deadline addition of T.J. Hockenson has limited the impact of Smith's inevitable return, but the multi-year starter is still a perfect complement in two-tight end sets and likely could be a factor in the Vikings' playoff push. Prior to suffering the ankle injury in Week 8, Smith tallied 22 receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns as arguably the team's third option behind Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.
JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE
Vikings Set to Activate TE Irv Smith Jr. From IR; Nick Muse Waived Smith will give the Vikings another pass-catching weapon in the playoffs.
JANUARY 6 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM
To be activated The Vikings plan to activate Smith (ankle) from injured reserve before Sunday's game against Chicago, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Impact Smith will return as the team's No. 2 tight end, behind trade-deadline addition T.J. Hockenson, with the talented duo potentially inspiring head coach Kevin O'Connell to use more two-tight end sets and fewer looks with three wide receivers and/or fullback C.J. Ham. However it plays out, Smith was designated to return from IR last week and apparently will make it back for the final game of the regular season as a tuneup for the playoffs.
JANUARY 6 • ROTOWIRE
T.J. Hockenson proves perfect fit for Vikings' offense
When tight end Irv Smith Jr. injured an ankle in Week 8, the Minnesota Vikings quickly added TDECEMBER 28, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Vikings getting healtier, activate Irv Smith Jr's practice window The Vikings are getting healthier every week
DECEMBER 28, 2022 • USATODAY.COM
Designated for IR return The Vikings are designating Smith (ankle) to return from injured reserve, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Impact The team now has 21 days to activate Smith to the roster or else place him back on IR for the rest of the season. He'll presumably rejoin the Vikings for the playoffs, if not one or both of the final two games of the regular season, though in a secondary role behind standout trade acquisition T.J. Hockenson.
DECEMBER 28, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Progressing, but still out Week 16 Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Thursday that Smith (ankle) is progressing, but the tight end will remain on injured reserve for Saturday's game against the Giants, Andrew...
Impact O'Connell remains optimistic that the tight end will play again this season, but until the Vikings designate him for return from injured reserve, Smith won't be eligible to practice with the team and will continue to rehab off to the side. If Smith is able to make it back for Week 17 or 18 games against the Packers and Bears, respectively, he would likely be in store for a limited role behind top tight end T.J. Hockenson, whom the Vikings acquired shortly after Smith suffered his high-ankle sprain Oct. 30.
DECEMBER 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Could return from IR soon Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Thursday that Smith (ankle) is close to returning from injured reserve, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Impact Because Smith hasn't been designated for return from IR and thus hasn't resumed practicing with the Vikings since suffering a high-ankle sprain in an Oct. 30 win over the Cardinals, he won't be a candidate to play Saturday against the Colts. However, Tomasson notes that Smith was able to get some work off to the side during Thursday's practice, perhaps hinting that the tight end could be ready to mix into drills at some point next week. Even if Smith is able to return to action at some point over the final three games of the regular season, he'll likely find himself in a much smaller role after the Vikings added a more established tight end in T.J. Hockenson to the roster in the wake of Smith's injury.
DECEMBER 15, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Spotted jogging Thursday Smith (ankle) was present for the Vikings' practice session Thursday and was spotted jogging off to the side under the supervision of the team's training staff, Alec Lewis of The A...
Impact The Vikings haven't designated Smith for return from injured reserve and are unlikely to do so before the end of the week, but the fact that the tight end was at the team facility taking part of cardio work suggests that a return to practice could soon be in the offing. Smith was able to avoid surgery after suffering a significant high-ankle sprain in the Vikings' Oct. 30 win over the Cardinals, though head coach Kevin O'Connell said that he anticipated the 24-year-old would miss 4-to-8 weeks in total while recovering from the injury. Smith is just over five weeks removed from sustaining the high-ankle sprain and looks to be tracking toward the midpoint or longer end of that timeframe. Whenever he's cleared to play, Smith will likely have to settle for a bit role on offense, as trade-deadline pickup T.J. Hockenson is poised to dominate the snaps at tight end so long as he's available.
DECEMBER 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Should avoid surgery Coach Kevin O'Connell expects Smith (ankle) to avoid surgery and gave a timeline estimate of 4-to-8 weeks Friday, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Impact The Vikings hope to get Smith back at some point in December or January, though his role won't be what it was if new teammate T.J. Hockenson stays healthy. The Vikings traded for Hockenson at the trade deadline after Smith injured his ankle in a Week 8 win over Arizona, with initial reports suggesting the latter would miss 8-to-10 weeks. O'Connell apparently is a bit more optimistic but still expects Smith to be out a while. The tight end was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.
NOVEMBER 4, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Vikings' Hockenson giddy over move near home, into 1st place
TNOVEMBER 2, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Surgery possible Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday that Smith may need surgery on the high-ankle sprain he sustained this past Sunday against the Cardinals, Andrew Krammer of the Mi...
Impact Smith is getting a second opinion to determine whether a procedure is necessary, but despite initial reports that his recovery timetable will be 8-to-10 weeks, O'Connell told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he doesn't have precise time frame for the tight end. Ultimately, Smith is in danger of missing most of the rest of the regular season, which likely spurred the Vikings to acquire T.J. Hockenson from the Lions on Tuesday. As long as Smith is sidelined, Hockenson and Johnny Mundt will be the main tight ends in Minnesota.
NOVEMBER 2, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Record-setting 12 players dealt on NFL trade deadline day
The NFL trade deadline turned into a frenzy with 15 teams making 10 deals involving 12 players and several draft picksNOVEMBER 1, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
