Bengals, Tight End Irv Smith Jr. Agree To One-Year Deal, per Report

The Cincinnati Bengals signed former Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. to a one-year contract on Monday, according to NFL Network's Peter Schrager.

The Bengals, who had a need at the position, filled it with one of the top remaining prospects in free agency. Smith has a chance for a breakout year with Joe Burrow as his throwing partner.

Smith caught 25 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns in eight games played last season. He showed promise in his first two seasons but was plagued by injuries the last two, missing all of 2021 with a knee injury and half of 2022 with an ankle injury.

The 24-year-old was a 2019 second-round pick out of Alabama by the Vikings, where he has played his entire four-year career. In Cincinnati, Smith will have to prove he can stay healthy, hence his prove-it deal, but he could be a low-risk, high-reward find for the Bengals.