Over the past couple of years, the tight end position has continued to evolve in the NFL. What was once an excuse to put an extra blocker on the field has now evolved into an important facet in a team’s red zone offense. In today’s game, having an athletic tight end is a huge advantage for any team.
The Minnesota Vikings have tried to catch up with this trend, drafting a tight end in each of the past four years despite having Kyle Rudolph on the roster. Those efforts haven’t bared much fruit, however and with the 29-year-old Rudolph’s contract coming up after the 2019 season, the Vikings added another tight end this year in Alabama ’s Irv Smith Jr.