Inside The Vikings

Vikings Signing Former Titans Cornerback Tye Smith on Veteran Minimum Deal

Smith has experience on special teams and could compete for a roster spot at corner in Minnesota.

Will Ragatz

The Vikings are continuing to fill out their cornerback room for the 2021 season, although they're doing so with small depth deals instead of making any splashy signings. A couple weeks after adding Parry Nickerson, Minnesota is signing veteran corner Tye Smith to a minimum deal, according to ESPN's Josina Anderson.

Smith, 28, was drafted by the Seahawks in the fifth round back in 2015 after a standout career at Towson. He appeared in four games on special teams as a rookie but was primarily a practice squad player during his time in Seattle. Smith also had a stint on the Washington PS before signing with the Tennessee Titans in 2017.

In Tennessee, Smith finally saw the field for more than just a handful of games. He played in 15 games in 2017, mostly on special teams. But he did make one start on defense, and the highlight of his 126 defensive snaps was intercepting the Dolphins' Jay Cutler in Week 5.

After missing the 2018 season with an injury, Smith bounced back and played in 21 games for the Titans over the past two seasons, making six starts.

This is another solid, low-risk move to add competition to the cornerback position ahead of training camp in a couple months. Smith isn't the biggest guy at outside corner, nor the greatest athlete, but he has solid physical traits (I've embedded his spider chart from the 2015 combine below) and has graded well in limited action for the Titans.

In three seasons, totaling 340 career coverage snaps, Smith has never posted a PFF coverage grade below 64. He's also a reliable tackler and has experience playing on a bunch of different special teams units.

Here's what the Vikings' cornerback depth chart looks like:

  • Patrick Peterson 
  • Cameron Dantzler
  • Mackensie Alexander (slot)
  • Jeff Gladney? (major question mark due to legal situation)
  • Harrison Hand
  • Kris Boyd
  • Dylan Mabin
  • Parry Nickerson
  • Tye Smith
  • Amari Henderson? (was reportedly going to sign after tryout, but that still hasn't happened)

Hand and Boyd's roster spots feel somewhat secure for now, but if Gladney ends up being suspended or cut altogether, there's room for someone to earn a roster spot as the sixth corner. Smith's experience may end up giving him a good shot to be the guy who wins that competition.

The Vikings' roster is now up to 88 players, and Henderson will be the 89th if that deal hasn't fallen through.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

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