On Monday, there was some angst at Minnesota Vikings training camp as tight end Irv Smith Jr. left the field with a trainer during the session. He wasn’t limping, but it turns out that his preseason appears to be done.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that Smith had surgery on a thumb he injured in practice on Monday. While Smith is going to be sidelined for a while, O’Connell said that “barring any setbacks,” the team hopes to have him back for the regular season opener on 11 September.
This is a definite setback for Smith, who missed all of last season after tearing a meniscus in the preseason finale.