Smith (knee) will have surgery this week to address a meniscus injury, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Mike Zimmer confirmed Monday that Smith will have surgery and miss the start of the regular season. The Vikings coach said he wouldn't know about a timeline until after the procedure, as is often the case with meniscus injuries. There's a chance it could be season-ending, per Chad Graff of The Athletic, but there's also a chance Smith is looking at something as favorable as a four-week timeline, according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. A meniscus repair likely would rule him out for four months or longer, while a meniscectomy (removal of the torn portion) could allow for a return around Weeks 3-5. The Vikings expect Tyler Conklin (hamstring) to return to practice Monday, but Zimmer acknowledged the team's TE depth isn't good, per Graff.