The Vikings placed Smith (ankle) on injured reserve Tuesday.
Smith's move to IR became a foregone conclusion after Adam Schefter of ESPN reported earlier in the day that the 24-year-old will likely be sidelined 8-10 weeks due to the high-ankle sprain he suffered in Sunday's win over the Cardinals. In response to Smith's upcoming absence, the Vikings acquired one of the NFL's better tight ends in T.J. Hockenson, and Hockenson will likely remain atop the depth chart for the rest of the season so long as he's healthy. With that in mind, Smith doesn't look as though he'll be in line for a substantial role if he's able to make it back from IR during the final few weeks of the season.