Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. is expected to miss 8-10 weeks with a high-ankle sprain.
The Vikings placed Smith on injured reserve Tuesday and it's unclear whether he will return for the end of the season. They also traded a 2023 second-round pick and 2024 third-round pick to the Detroit Lions for tight end T.J. Hockenson, so even if Smith makes it back, he will no longer be a starter. The Vikings aren't expected to pick up Smith's team option for 2023.
Prior to injuring his ankle in Week 8, Smith played 50-65% of the offensive snaps in Weeks 2-6 and averaged 5.4 targets per game in that stretch (14.5% target share).
Source: Adam Schefter, ESPN