Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. is likely going to miss the entire 2021 season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

There had been some question about how long Smith was going to be out after he suffered the injury in the preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs. It depended on the type of meniscus surgery, with a trim resulting in a much shorter recovery time that could have had him back on the field early in the season if things went well. Opting for the repair is better for long-term health of the knee, but it carries with it a much longer timetable to return. The tight end is expected to be out four to five months.

With Smith needing surgery, the Vikings went out and made a trade to bolster the tight end position, acquiring Chris Herndon from the New York Jets. Herndon caught 31 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns with the Jets last season, his third in the NFL. He impressed as a rookie with 39 catches for 502 yards and four scores before playing in just one game in Year 2.

Smith was hoping to have a breakout season after a couple of decent seasons as the No. 2 tight end on the Vikings’ depth chart behind Kyle Rudolph. With Rudolph gone to the New York Giants, Smith was set to get that starting role. Now, though, he’s on track to miss the whole season.