Smith had surgery on his thumb Tuesday, with coach Kevin O'Connell saying afterward that the tight end should be ready for the start of the season.

EDGE Analysis

This explains Smith's early departure from practice Monday and likely rules him out for most or all of training camp and the preseason. He'll have five and a half weeks to recover before the Vikings host the Packers on Sunday, Sept. 11. Next up on the team's TE depth chart are Ben Ellefson, Johnny Mundt, Zach Davidson and Nick Muse.