EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings plan to activate tight end Irv Smith Jr. from injured reserve in time for Sunday’s game at the Chicago Bears, coach Kevin O’Connell said Friday.
Smith entered the season as the Vikings’ top pass-catching tight end, but he hasn’t played since suffering a high ankle sprain in the Vikings’ 34-26 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8. The Vikings acquired tight end T.J. Hockenson two days later, and Hockenson has gone on to catch 59 passes for 503 yards and three touchdowns in nine games with the team.
There were initial fears that Smith’s injury would end his season, but after doctors decided that Smith didn’t need surgery, the Vikings enacted a plan to get him back on the field for the playoffs. He caught 22 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the first seven games of the season and will provide depth and the possibility of three-tight end alignments moving forward.
“He’s a player I’m excited about,” O’Connell said. “You talk about depth charts and how you have to list it, but when you get into different personnel groupings and how many tight ends you want to have on the field, to have a guy like that joining TJ and Johnny [Mundt] is a real positive.”
To make room on the roster for Smith, the Vikings waived rookie tight end Nick Muse. Defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard (biceps) is also expected to be activated from injured reserve this weekend.