Ihmir Smith-Marsette out for remainder of spring practices

The Minnesota Vikings got some nice production from rookie wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette towards the end of the 2021 season, and the hope is that he could carry that momentum into his second season. Unfortunately, he’s going to be on the shelf until Training Camp gets underway.

Smith-Marsette was seen at Vikings’ OTAs recently in a walking boot, and head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that he will miss the remainder of spring practices with a lower leg injury.

Smith-Marsette was a fifth-round pick of the Vikings in the 2021 NFL Draft, and while the numbers he put up as a whole don’t jump off the page. . .he caught just five passes for 116 yards while appearing in eight games. . .but he ended the year on a high note. He had three passes for 103 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings’ season-ending victory over the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium.

As things stand right now, Smith-Marsette is listed as the fourth receiver on the depth chart behind Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and K.J. Osborn. He figures to be part of a logjam at the bottom of the depth chart along with the returning Bisi Johnson, sixth-round pick Jalen Nailor, and a host of others. If he can make a similar leap to the one that Osborn made going into last season, it would give the Vikings a very formidable top four at the wide receiver spot in O’Connell’s new offense.