Former Alabama Tight End Irv Smith Jr. Released by the Kansas City Chiefs

The NFL is quickly approaching its roster cut deadline, which takes place at 4 PM EST on Tuesday. Several players are being released across the league, including current Chiefs tight end Irv Smith Jr. After signing with Kansas City earlier this offseason, the Alabama product will look for a new home.

Smith Jr. played at Alabama from 2016 to 2018. His production peaked in his junior campaign in 2018, with 44 catches for 710 yards and seven touchdowns. That campaign earned him a Second-Team All-SEC nod, and the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Smith Jr. spent four seasons in Minnesota before signing with the Cincinnati Bengals last year. His production has never lived up to expectations - he's failed to top 400 yards in a single season and has registered under 1,000 yards over his four years in the NFL.

Injuries have dealt Smith Jr. adversity throughout his career. A torn meniscus wiped out the 2021 season in Minnesota before an ankle injury in 2022 caused him to miss nine games. He played in 12 games for the Bengals last year.

After the Chiefs selected fourth-round rookie Jared Wiley to pair with Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, they found Smith Jr. expendable. He'll hope to land with a different tight end needy team elsewhere in the league.

Related: Former Alabama Offensive Lineman Alex Leatherwood Released by Chargers