2017 Camp Battles: Tight Ends
LBVikings
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There isn’t a lot of potential for movement in this year’s tight end group. Nobody on the roster can challenge Kyle Rudolph, and David Morgan will be the designated blocker for maximum protection sets. Everything below that is low-impact, at least in terms of the team and casual Sunday viewers. But for the players whose roles are not set in stone, everything could rest on their performance throughout the month of August:
Kyle Rudolph – In terms of team role and playing time, few players are more predictable than Kyle Rudolph. Since 2011, he’s been a staple of offenses led by Christian Ponder, Teddy Bridgewater and currently Sam Bradford. He’ll lead the offensive charge in erasing the failures of the 2016 season.
David Morgan – For a 6th round draft pick, David Morgan has accomplished quite a bit. He opened the door at UTSA as the first Roadrunner to be drafted at all, among other firsts he accomplished for the young program. Morgan entered the program as more of a receiving tight end, but ended up learning to block well enough to draw NFL attention. Coming from a small school often disadvantages players, and Morgan is no exception, accomplishing feats greater than those of award-winning tight ends at bigger schools. Still, he did enough to get drafted. While he didn’t get much playing time in his rookie season, he showed enough to usher Rhett Ellison out of the building, though, that’s easier to do as the cheap option. Morgan doesn’t have much competition for his role as a blocking/utility tight end, and will likely see snaps as a blocker and outlet receiver.
Bucky Hodges – One of the rarest accomplishments in football is a true, bona fide position change. Many players do this from high school to college, as they’re only losing a few years of specified experience. But with Bucky Hodges, he moved from prized quarterback recruit to Eric Ebron replica. It worked out for Bucky, who wisely opted to stay at Virginia Tech for a final year before entering the draft. What started as an experiment turned into a ticket to the NFL, though rawness at the position dropped the proud 757 native to the 6th round. In the pros, Hodges has an oddly easy path to relevance for a 6th round pick, only needing to beat out Nick Truesdell, Kyle Carter and Josiah Price for a roster slot and whatever activity the offense can spare for a raw, one-dimensional 3rd tight end.
Kyle Carter – Unlike much of the NFL, Kyle Carter never had transcendent talent. He was an important piece of Bill O’Brien’s puzzle during his time at Penn State, but wasn’t without issues, both performance and injury related. However, he emerged as a senior in 2015, catching the attention of NFL scouts. Still, buried under more accomplished tight ends like Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, Carter fell out of the draft. When healthy, he showed enough potential to earn a shot at making the Vikings’ roster, prompting them to give him a shot. Unfortunately, he failed, though he was obscured by draftees David Morgan and MyCole Pruitt. He made it to the practice squad with Pruitt, who was poached by Chicago and is now out of Carter’s way. Should the Vikings choose to keep a 4th tight end, it could be Carter’s best chance to ascend beyond his forgettable football reputation. He’ll have to prove to the team that he’s worth it, however.
Nick Truesdell – There are many junctures at which Nick Truesdell’s NFL dream could have ended. His football journey started off normally after committing to the Cincinnati Bearcats, but his run was cut short but a campus bookstore incident. He transferred to a Michigan community college, and immediately tore his ACL. For most, that would spell the end of football as a career. But post-college Truesdell was given more opportunities due to his stunning athleticism. His hometown Bengals invited him to a minicamp tryout, but he never gained any traction, ending up in the indoor football league. Another failed NFL tryout landed him in the Arena Football League, where his ailing career caught a second wind. His breakout season in arena football drew NFL attention once more, though, his tryout with the Colts never came to fruition. The next year, a standout performance at the veteran combine gave Truesdell his next, and possibly last, opportunity. The Vikings won the bidding war, and Truesdell will have an opportunity to translate his arena football success to the NFL. He’ll have to overcome more classically trained options like Kyle Carter and Bucky Hodges, but Truesdell has overcome much more to get to this point.
Josiah Price – From his brother Barak to his humble beginnings in Greentown Indiana, Josiah Price has a lot to fight for. He became a key piece of Michigan State’s memorable 2015 season, and a leader on an arguable blue-blood program. But simply being a part of a big school isn’t enough for Price, who’s doing as much as he possibly can to earn his way into the nationwide pinnacle of football. Once he declared for the draft, however, the combine selection process dealt Price a big blow, limiting his exposure and his opportunity to impress NFL recruiters. After going undrafted, Price earned an opportunity to go to Vikings camp and possibly onto the practice squad. In that, Price has already accomplished quite a bit. But his biggest hurdle, the leap from college standout to rostered NFL player, is still in front of him. The roster is likely out of reach for now, but time on an NFL practice squad will bring Price closer to the peak he experienced at Michigan State.
BATTLE TO WATCH: Rudolph and Morgan likely don’t have much room for variance in terms of their specific roles. Bucky Hodges can earn his way into a market share of targets, but the most captivating battle will be the one for a practice squad role. There’s likely only room for one of incumbent Kyle Carter, newcomer Josiah Price, and wildcard Nick Truesdell, and they’ll all have limited time near the end of preseason games to prove themselves. On top of that, the NFL is a business where the two losers could be taking their last reps in NFL jerseys.
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