Might the Vikings Have Interest in a Kyle Rudolph Reunion?
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings parted ways with veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph following the 2020 season. In part, this was due to production, but additionally, the team seemed to have a pair of young tight ends waiting in the wings in Tyler Conklin and Irv Smith Jr.
However, that plan has not exactly worked out as well as hoped. Smith missed the entire 2021 season with a torn meniscus, and while Conklin stepped up in a big way as the starter, that allowed him to garner a lucrative contract from the New York Jets this offseason. In his return, Smith has not turned into that star tight end that many had hoped for, either. The fourth-year TE has recorded 18 receptions for 140 yards and a pair of TDs this season.
Because of these developments over the past couple years, could that mean the Vikings have interest in a reunion with Kyle Rudolph?
Well, the Vikings certainly have tried their hand at a number of different options with this position. They’ve used four separate tight ends this year, including rookie seventh-round pick Nick Muse. Smith has begun to come around after a poor couple weeks to open the season, but he has not been the star Vikings fans had hoped for.
Additionally, Rudolph has gotten virtually no run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense this season. The 32-year-old TE has played in just two games for Tampa Bay, earning just two targets from Tom Brady. He caught one of them for 12 yards.
Ideally, the Bucs will eventually just release their tight end if they have no plans on using him, but they’d still have to eat $1.5 million of his $2 million cap hit if they did that. Because of this, if the Vikings were to acquire their long-time tight end, it probably has to be a trade.
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That said, given the Bucs small role for Rudolph to this point in the season, it shouldn’t take a grandfather offer to acquire the tight end. Additionally, as Dustin Baker reminded me on Wednesday’s episode of VikesNow, he could be a sparkplug in a red zone offense that has been inconsistent to start the season.
Even if he doesn’t provide a massive role for the Vikings, he’s provided countless memories for the franchise, including sealing a playoff victory in New Orleans during 2019. From 2011-2020, the two-time Pro Bowler accounted for 453 receptions, 4488 yards, and 48 touchdowns as a Minnesota Vikings. His 49 career touchdown receptions rank 145th in the NFL all-time.
If it’s not this year, the Vikings should make sure that they’re legendary tight end retires in Minnesota when the time comes.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing as well as minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his takes, NFL and otherwise, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.