Tag: Irv Smith Jr

Chiefs TE Jared Wiley ‘confident’ in his ability to produce in red zone

#Chiefs tight end Jared Wiley says he’s confident in his ability to produce for Kansas City in the red zone.

The Kansas City Chiefs are reinforcing their tight end room with a promising offensive weapon in fourth-round draft pick Jared Wiley. The former TCU standout is potentially the missing piece in solving the Chiefs’ issues in the red zone, especially when Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce is not available.

Wiley spoke with reporters via Zoom shortly after he was drafted and didn’t take long to share his thoughts on his role in the offense.

“Yeah, I’m really confident in myself, especially in the red zone. I felt like that was a spot this past year where I really made my money, so to speak,” said Wiley. “I try to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself, especially down there in the red zone. I’m excited for an opportunity like that and I’m definitely going to make the most of it.”

The Chiefs signed Irv Smith Jr. at the start of free agency after the departure of Jody Fortson to the Miami Dolphins. Noah Gray is currently slotted as the second tight end, but head coach Andy Reid often features many different sets, as Wiley has witnessed from afar over the years.

“I would say that if you ask anybody and they say that they don’t watch the Chiefs, I would say that they’re lying to you,” Wiley explained. “You know they’re a super explosive offense. They’re really fun to watch, a big play offense, and like I said earlier (they have) the best quarterback in the NFL (Patrick Mahomes), some of the best receivers in the NFL, the best tight end in the NFL (Travis Kelce). Just watching their offense and how they operate and how they move, it’s so exciting to watch week in and week out, and I’m really excited to be able to get to be a part of that.”

The defending champions, who have struggled at various points throughout the season, will welcome an increase in red zone production. Wiley had eight touchdowns in his last season at TCU, so he knows how to get into the endzone.

NFL rumors: Chiefs reach an agreement with free agent TE Irv Smith Jr.

Kansas City Chiefs reach an agreement with free agent TE Irv Smith Jr.

The Kansas City Chiefs have made their first splash in the legal negotiations period of free agency by adding to their offense.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cincinnati Bengals free agent tight end Irv Smith Jr. has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Chiefs. The reported agreement adds another dynamic option for Patrick Mahomes to play alongside Travis Kelce or provide rest moments in games. During his lone season with the Bengals in 2023, he struggled with hamstring injuries, leading him to lose his starting job midway through the year.

Smith Jr. was a standout in college for Alabama and was a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to the Minnesota Vikings. He spent his first four professional seasons in Minnesota, missing the entire 2021 year after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He has accumulated 109 catches for 973 yards and ten touchdowns in four seasons on the field so far in his career.

When healthy, the 25-year-old’s versatility makes him a valuable part of the offense. Head coach Andy Reid usually finds success in players who can adjust to the fast offensive style and play a key role.

6 under-the-radar free agents Saints could target

6 under-the-radar free agents the New Orleans Saints could target on offense and defense:

The New Orleans Saints will have largely the same roster next year as they did last season, but will need to look around for some role players to replace those that are on the way out.

The Saints likely won’t be in on the big name targets such as defensive linemen Chris Jones, Justin Madubike or Josh Allen but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t options at more available price points.

Last year, they signed players like veteran safeties Jonathan Abram and Ugo Amadi that flew under the radar during free agency, but ended up making a bit of an impact and will likely stick around for another year.

Here are some under-the-radar options in this free agency class at some positions of need:

Irv Smith Jr. might be the Saints’ best option among remaining free agent tight ends

If the Saints still want to sign a free agent tight end, former Vikings draft pick and Brother Martin graduate Irv Smith Jr. might be their best option:

Could the New Orleans Saints still be on the hunt for a free agent tight end? Terrible news of a cancer diagnosis for Foster Moreau during a routine physical with the Saints medical staff has prompted the 25-year-old to step away from football, and it’s unclear whether the team’s interest in him was opportunistic — in getting a good player at at reasonable price — or part of their offseason plan to upgrade at tight end.

Look at the players under contract. Juwan Johnson is an ascending talent, having broken out last season as a pass-catcher while continuing to improve as a blocker. But Adam Trautman has not developed as hoped after the Saints traded up for him in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft. Backups like Lucas Krull and Miller Forristall are likely just training camp bodies. Taysom Hill might be listed at tight end but he played more snaps at quarterback and receiver than in that alignment, and he shouldn’t be slotted into the depth chart there.

Clearly this is a spot New Orleans can improve. If they still want to sign a free agent after Moreau was taken off the board, Irv Smith Jr. might be their best option. The former Minnesota Vikings second-round pick prided himself on his two-way ability as a blocker and receiver coming out of Alabama (and before that, Brother Martin High School in New Orleans’ Gentilly neighborhood), much like his father, who played tight end for the Saints from 1993 to 1997 as a first-round draft pick from Notre Dame. There’s a legacy he could live up to here.

But that skill as a pass-catcher and run-blocker is exactly what the Saints could use to complement Johnson as a receiving threat. Trautman doesn’t offer much in that phase of the game, so Smith could be an upgrade if he can continue to block well. He opened some wide lanes for Dalvin Cook the last few years, and it’s easy to see him making headway for running backs Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams.

But Smith needs to make more of an impact in the passing game. He has an unearned reputation for poor hands, having dropped just 5 passes on 126 career targets and catching 75.4% of the balls thrown his way at an average depth of target of 6.9 yards. He’s also caught 10 of his 20 contested targets. Maybe he can take a step forward with a better quarterback than Kirk Cousins throwing to him. Derek Carr has a history of maximizing receiving production from his tight ends.

Injuries have also been a concern for him. Smith played just 8 games in 2022 due to a midseason ankle injury. He lost the entire 2021 season to a torn meniscus. Groin and back issues limited him to 13 appearances in 2020’s first 17-game season. It would be worth signing him at the right price, and having Trautman in the fold as a backup with some experience is nice, but expecting him to endure a full workload as the No. 2 tight end behind Johnson might be tall ask. Additionally, signing Smith would likely jeopardize one of the 2024 compensatory draft picks the Saints are projected to get for losing so many free agents this spring.

So that’s why a lot of attention is going towards the 2023 NFL draft class. It’s said to be the strongest group of tight end prospects coming out of the college game in years, and the Saints are well-positioned to find a good one with picks at Nos. 29 (in the first round), 40 (in the second round), and 71 (in the third round). But, again, it’s worth asking how big of a priority an upgrade at tight end would be to them. The Saints might have bigger fish to fry before looking for an excuse to cut bait with Trautman.

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