Report: Former Alabama Standout Irv Smith Jr. Signing with Chiefs
Former Alabama standout tight end Irv Smith Jr. is signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
"Bengals free-agent tight end Irv Smith Jr. reached an agreement of a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, per source," Schefter writes.
Smith showed some potential in his first two years in the league with the Minnesota Vikings as he recorded 66 receptions for 676 yards and seven touchdowns when combining his rookie and sophomore campaigns, but he's struggled to stay on the field since then.
The 50th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft suffered a torn meniscus a week before the 2021 season kicked off, sidelining him for the year. In 2022, he suffered a grade three high ankle sprain in Week 8, sidelining him for the rest of the regular season.
After not being re-signed by the Vikings, the then-Super Bowl runner-up Cincinnati Bengals gave him a 1-year deal on March 26, 2023. However, he only played 44 percent of snaps in 12 games this past season.
Another fresh start with the reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champions could give him the confidence he had at Alabama, where he recorded 44 receptions for 710 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018.
Nevertheless, he won't be the starter, as nine-time Pro Bowler Travis Kelce simply won't be moved from that spot. That being said, Kelce is a great option for Smith to learn and develop from as he's only 25-years-old.
Smith becomes the second Crimson Tide product on the Chiefs, as he joins defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs.
