The Minnesota Vikings could be without tight end Irv Smith Jr. for a while after he suffered a high-ankle sprain against Arizona on Sunday, according to multiple reports.
Smith was injured when he was pass blocking on the second half touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to K.J. Osborn, with head coach Kevin O’Connell saying Smith “got rolled up kind of in a protection against an all-out pressure.”
Smith, who has 22 catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns this season, was scheduled to undergo an MRI on his ankle.
With Smith expected to miss multiple weeks, that leaves the tight end room with Johnny Mundt, who scored a touchdown on his third catch of the season Sunday, and Jacob Hollister, who was elevated from the practice squad on Sunday.
Ben Ellefson has been on injured reserve with a groin injury since Oct. 8 and isn’t eligible to be activated until the Vikings play Buffalo Nov. 13.
Replacing Smith is fairly critical considering his 33 targets are third most on the team behind Adam Thielen (50) and Justin Jefferson (71). K.J. Osborn has 31 targets through seven games.
If the Vikings aren’t comfortable with their current tight end situation, they have until Tuesday’s 3 p.m. CT NFL trade deadline to make a move.
Note: Both ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press have reported that Smith suffered a high-ankle sprain.
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