Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Smith is eager for a fresh start, having undergone open-heart surgery last August and now returned to the field. Ekstrom wrote:
It's been two years since Smith played significant snaps in a meaningful football game. At USC, he was an exceptional four-year player who specialized in stuffing the run. At the time he was drafted, he fit the archetype of a Ben Gedeon-type that could excel on first and second downs.
Despite being out all last season, Smith stayed connected to the team, participated in meetings and continued to learn from the sideline. Ekstrom said that Smith will "be in a battle" this offseason to earn a spot on the final 53-man roster.
Behind [Anthony] Barr and [Eric] Kendricks, he'll be competing with veteran pickup Nick Vigil, last year's fourth-round pick Troy Dye and this year's third-round pick Chazz Surratt. While Smith's forte is tackling and defending the run, most of his colleagues were acquired for their ability to defend the pass as the league's offenses shift.
The third-year linebacker got off to a strong start in OTAs, earning some first-team reps in the Vikings base defense. While Minnesota has mixed and matched through its first week of practice, it's clear they're giving Smith a shot to start — and to bring his comeback story to fruition.