“I think he’s going to get pretty close to that normal workload,” O’Connell said, “and that will allow us to be a little more versatile with Josh [Metellus], kind of some of the ways we’ve played historically personnel wise, and allow guys to really fit into roles that are pretty powerful for us.”
The only three games Smith hasn’t started are the Vikings’ most recent two games and one in 2013 when he returned from a severe turf toe injury.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores said Smith’s role has been “where we want it.” He added Metellus and safety Theo Jackson “are playing well, too.”
Even Flores’ sons, Miles and Max, have been asking about Smith.
“It’s funny,” Flores said. “My boys are like, ‘Why isn’t he playing as much?’ You can’t just throw somebody into an NFL game. ... What they don’t see is the preparation that goes into getting ready for NFL games and an NFL season, and he missed a big chunk. Without that, we’ve got to be smart about our usage with him.”
Metellus said it’s been “extremely weird” to start games without Smith, or “22″ as he’s called.