Vikings plan to bring back Irv Smith for season finale in Chicago

The Vikings are expected to activate tight end Irv Smith Jr. with an eye toward working the injury-riddled fourth-year pro in alongside T.J. Hockenson and Johnny Mundt at Chicago on Sunday in the final tune-up for the team's wild-card playoff opener at U.S. Bank Stadium the following week.

"I think it's unique from the standpoint of getting a player of Irv's caliber back at this point of the season," coach Kevin O'Connell said. "He's worked so hard every single day, either with his rehab through the process or in the meeting room. Watching him throughout this process just commit. Total pro. He's a player I'm excited about."

Smith recovered from a broken thumb in training camp to play seven games before a high ankle sprain in the Oct. 30 win over Arizona landed him on injured reserve. The Vikings responded two days later by trading with the Lions for Hockenson, who will continue to be the team's No. 1 tight end.

Smith, who missed all last season with a meniscus tear, caught 22 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns while playing behind Mundt earlier this season. Smith is in the final year of his rookie contract.

The Vikings waived rookie seventh-round draft pick Nick Muse to make room for Smith. The tight end played in 10 games, all on special teams.

The team will also activate defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard from injured reserve. He missed the last four games with a biceps injury after starting seven of the 11 games he played.

O'Connell listed center Garrett Bradbury (back) and nose tackle James Lynch (shoulder) as out for Sunday's game while adding cornerback Cam Dantzler (ankle) and linebacker Za'Darius Smith (personal matter) to linebacker Brian Asamoah (knee) as players who are questionable. The other player on the injury list, safety Josh Metellus (thigh), won't carry an injury designation into the game.

O'Connell said Smith was excused from practice Friday to tend to a personal matter, but "we're expecting him to be with us in Chicago."

According to O'Connell, the Vikings will start the game with their usual starters even though it's unlikely the Vikings will be able to move up from the No. 3 seed to the No. 2 seed. The Vikings need to beat the Bears and have the 49ers lose to the Cardinals. The Vikings play at noon. The 49ers play at 3:25 p.m.

"We're going to go in with the expectation of … trying to get off to a good start and play good football," said O'Connell, who indicated he will then look for opportunities to rest players depending on the score of the game and how some of the players dealing with injuries are feeling because "it's possible we will have to play the following Saturday."

Za'Darius Smith has already triggered a $500,000 incentive for the season by reaching 8½ sacks, but he can boost that incentive with a big day on Sunday.

Smith, who currently has 10 sacks, would bump his incentive to $750,000 if he reaches 10½ for the season. If he gets 12½ sacks, his incentive would increase to $1 million.

He isn't the only pass rusher that can pocket some extra money for taking down Nathan Peterman.

His pass rushing counterpart, Danielle Hunter, can also make some money with a big day. Hunter is 2½ sacks away from triggering a $500,000 base salary escalator in his 2023 contract, and 4½ sacks from a $1 million escalator.

And defensive end Dalvin Tomlinson, who has 2½ sacks, would earn a $250,000 bonus if he gets 1 ¹⁄₂ more, to finish with four for the season.

Cornerback Patrick Peterson has already triggered a $330,000 incentive in his contract by playing at least 75% of the defensive snaps for a team that made the playoffs. If the Vikings win a divisional playoff game where Peterson plays at least 75% of the snaps, the incentive jumps to $666,000; he can boost the incentive to $1 million by hitting the same playing time threshold in a NFC Championship Game victory.

Staff writer Ben Goessling contributed to this article.