Tag: Kyle Rudolph

Report: Vikings still haven’t closed the door on Kyle Rudolph reunion

Is Rudolph on track to return to Minnesota?

There could be mutual interest still lingering between the Minnesota Vikings and free agent tight end Kyle Rudolph.

During an appearance on The Scoop with Doogie, KSTP’s Darren Wolfson said the former longtime Viking is still on the search for an opportunity to land on some team’s roster ahead of training camp.

There have been talks of a potential return to Minnesota. While the Vikings don’t appear to be that hot on the idea right now, they’ve kept the line of communication open with the former two-time Pro Bowler.

“Kyle fully expects to be in some team’s training camp next week,” said Wolfson. “Yes, there has been some dialogue with the Vikings. He’s got multiple agents working on his behalf. I think it’s more them pushing the Vikings idea, but the Vikings haven’t necessarily hung up the phone.”

Wolfson went on to predict the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being the eventual landing spot for the 32-year-old veteran.

Rudolph could serve as a replacement for the recently retired Rob Gronkowski, and it would put him in a position to win a Super Bowl, while also catching passes from legendary quarterback Tom Brady.

But the Vikings also make sense on paper considering the uncertainty at the tight end position.

Irv Smith Jr. is coming off a season-ending meniscus injury, and the team is hurting for depth behind him, particularly when it comes to a receiving tight end. Johnny Mundt, Ben Ellefson and Zach Davidson are all predominantly blocking tight ends.

And it’s too early to know what to expect from rookie Nick Muse.

The team would love to have at least one more weapon for quarterback Kirk Cousins to attack opposing defenses with on the field. Even a diminished version of Rudolph is still capable of making plays.

But the bigger question for the Vikings was posed by Wolfson after hearing news of the team’s continued interest in Rudolph, and it relates to Smith’s health.

“I do find it interesting that the Vikings haven’t hung up the phone,” Wolfson said. “It makes me wonder, and I need to dig more on this. …I may not be able to dig more until next week. But what exactly is going on with Irv Smith Jr.? Is the knee still an issue?”

If Smith still isn’t 100 percent, it could become an even bigger problem than the Vikings need in the proposed win-now season.

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Report: Bucs showing interest in veteran TE Kyle Rudolph

After Rob Gronkowski’s retirement, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reportedly showing interest in free agent tight end Kyle Rudolph

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t have Rob Gronkowski back this season, and it looks like they’re on the prowl for a veteran replacement at tight end.

Free agent Kyle Rudolph is apparently on their radar, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Rudolph, 32, spent the majority of his productive NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings before leaving last offseason to sign with the New York Jets. His production dipped considerably in the past two seasons (just two combined touchdown catches over that stretch), but he’s still got ideal size and a well-rounded skill set that would fit what the Bucs need at the position.

Cameron Brate is the only tight end on Tampa Bay’s current roster with any meaningful experience at the pro level, though they did just spend multiple picks in the 2022 NFL draft at the position (Cade Otton, Ko Kieft).

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30 Most Important Bears of 2022: No. 19 Cole Kmet

No. 19 in our 30 Most Important Bears is Cole Kmet, a key player in the offense who is looking to ascend heading into his third season.

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2022 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.

Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 most important Bears for the 2022 season. We’ll recap their 2021 season, look ahead to 2022 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.

We’re a third of the way through our list and coming in at No. 19 is tight end Cole Kmet, a key player in the Bears offense who is looking to ascend heading into his third season.

Multiple events prove Kyle Rudolph love still runs strong in Minnesota

Once a Viking, always a Viking

Kyle Rudolph hasn’t worn a Minnesota Vikings jersey on a football field in well over a year, but there have been moments over the last week that make it feel like he never left.

It’s no surprise considering he played 10 seasons with the Vikings before being released and signing with the New York Giants in 2021. His first venture outside of Minnesota didn’t go as planned with him only hauling in 26 receptions for 257 yards and one touchdown for a team that was already struggling.

But even when things don’t go as planned, there has always been infinite love and admiration for Rudolph back home, where fans eat, sleep and breathe Vikings football.

At a concert held at U.S. Bank Stadium, country music star Morgan Wallen came out wearing a signed Rudolph jersey during his performance.

The crowd went wild the moment he stepped onto the stage.

The Rudolph party didn’t stop there, either.

He also made an appearance in Minneapolis last Friday night on WWE SmackDown, where he caught up with fans and WWE commentator/NFL analyst Pat McAfee

I know what you’re thinking.

Rudolph is still a free agent, and the Vikings could use a veteran body to act as an insurance policy for Irv Smith Jr., who is returning from a season-ending knee injury.

The Vikings are probably set right now with Johnny Mundt as their No. 2 option at tight end. They also invested a seventh-round draft pick in rookie Nick Muse to go along with Zach Davidson and Ben Ellefson. So there likely wouldn’t be any immediate need to sign Rudolph to a deal. But they may want to keep him on speed-dial just in case the injury gods frown on them for a second straight season.

At some point, when Rudolph makes the decision to hang up his cleats, he should be given an opportunity to retire a Viking. The 32-year-old tight end gave everything he had to the organization, and the fans loved him for doing it. They still love him to this very day.

That alone speaks volumes.

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Kyle Rudolph could add leadership and experience to Broncos’ TE room

If the Broncos sign Kyle Rudolph, he would add leadership and experience to the team’s tight end room.

The Denver Broncos have made it no secret that they aim to bring in at least one more tight end this spring, either via free agency or the draft (or both).

Denver recently hosted veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph for a free agent workout, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports. Rudolph would be a great addition to the Broncos’ offense.

Denver has a quality receiving tight end in Albert Okwuegbunam and a top blocking tight end in Eric Tomlinson. Rudolph could provide the best of both those roles while also giving the team leadership and experience at the position.

Rudolph (6-6, 265 pounds) was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. Broncos general manager George Paton was serving as Minnesota’s director of player personnel when the Vikings drafted Rudolph.

Rudolph went on to spend 10 seasons in Minnesota, earning two Pro Bowl nods. He’s a good blocker but also a talented receiver, catching 479 passes for 4,745 yards and 49 touchdowns in 156 career games.

Rudolph caught 26 passes for 257 yards and one touchdown with the New York Giants last season. The 32-year-old tight end is likely a candidate to sign a one-year, team-friendly contract.

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One major hang-up could ruin a Kyle Rudolph and Vikings reunion

Could a past comment on Kirk Cousins come back to haunt Rudolph?

News of Kyle Rudolph’s release from the New York Giants couldn’t have come at a better time for the Minnesota Vikings. Irv Smith Jr. is coming off a season-ending injury, and the team could lose Tyler Conklin in free agency.

So a reunion with Rudolph, a player the Vikings drafted back in 2011, makes all of the sense in the world, right? He could just waltz right back into town on a veteran discount and serve as a secondary option behind the returning Smith.

If only it were that simple.

Well, it could be depending on how Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins took Rudolph’s comments during an appearance on WFAN’s Tiki & Tierney back in January.

When asked if Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was more talented than all of the other quarterbacks he played with in Minnesota, particularly Cousins and Teddy Bridgewater, Rudolph didn’t hesitate to give an answer.

“Absolutely,” said Rudolph. “I’ve said that since day one. He’s certainly the most talented guy I’ve ever played with, and I’ve played with a lot.”

Jones finished the 2021 season throwing for 2,248 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions in only 11 appearances. Meanwhile, Cousins tore up the stat sheet with 4,221 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Look, it would be different if Rudolph was saying that about Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers and maybe a few other top-10 quarterbacks.

But Daniel Jones—really?

I’m not even going to pretend to know how Cousins would feel about a comment like that one, but for some quarterbacks, it could become a real issue. If it’s a non-issue, then the Vikings should definitely consider bringing Rudolph back into the fold, especially if it’s on a team-friendly deal.

His most productive seasons came in a Vikings uniform. The 32-year-old appeared in two Pro Bowls and has hauled in 479 receptions for 4,765 receiving yards and 49 touchdowns over the course of his career. But he is coming off the least productive season of his NFL tenure—26 receptions for 257 yards and one touchdown—after working through a foot injury.

If Conklin walks, the Vikings would definitely need some help, and a reunion with Rudolph might be the best place to start.

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Giants release Kyle Rudolph, who the Bills reportedly had interest in

Would you bring Kyle Rudolph to the #Bills?

The New York Giants made a roster move that’s worth keeping an eye on regarding the Buffalo Bills.

On Wednesday New York released veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph, according to Giants Wire.

Rudolph agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal last offseason. Releasing him has to do with the salary cap.

Former Buffalo assistant GM turned Giants general manager, Joe Schoen, has said numerous times since being hired he planned to create salary cap space. The move creates around $5M in space for the Giants.

Also playing a part was Rudolph’s production. Now 32, in 16 games (13 starts) with the Giants, Rudolph hauled in 26 receptions for 257 yards and one touchdown. All numbers were near career lows.

The reason to keep him in mind is because the Bills were reportedly interested in him before he landed with the G-Men in March of 2021 as a free agent.

Since then, Buffalo has seen the emergence of Dawson Knox as a No. 1 tight end. However, depth is light at the position for the Bills.

Considering his dip in production and a possible chance to play on a top-NFL offense which includes the likes of quarterback Josh Allen, Rudolph still might be on Buffalo’s radar.

Prior to landing with the Giants, the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, and Carolina Panthers were reportedly “also in the running” for Rudolph.

From 2011 to 20202, Rudolph was with the Minnesota Vikings. He was a two-time Pro Bowler there (2012, 2017).

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Former Saints playoff villain Kyle Rudolph could be a good fit in New Orleans

The Giants cut tight end Kyle Rudolph, a former Saints playoff villain who makes sense for New Orleans for several reasons:

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The New Orleans Saints aren’t good enough at tight end right now. Adam Trautman was overwhelmed in his second season, his first year as a starter in the NFL, while Nick Vannett added too little too late after missing a lot of time with an injury. Playmaking backup Juwan Johnson was a healthy scratch at times on game days, and he’s a free agent as is veteran reserve Garrett Griffin. Ethan Wolf and Dylan Soehner round out the depth chart but aren’t much to write home about.

Enter Kyle Rudolph, who just became a salary cap casualty for the New York Giants. He still intends to keep playing (his 33rd birthday is coming up in November), and he makes a lot of sense for New Orleans if they want to upgrade the position. For one, it gives Rudolph an opportunity to make amends for his uncalled push-off against P.J. Williams on a playoff game-winning touchdown catch for the Minnesota Vikings against the Saints a few years back.

But let’s be serious for a moment. Signing Rudolph won’t break the bank the way it would to go after a high-profile free agent like Mike Gesicki or Dalton Schultz. The Giants judged his $7.4 million cap hit as too much for the player and let him go, and he’s going to be more affordable for any teams looking for experienced help at the position.

Sure, he’s coming off of an unimpressive 26-catch campaign (totaling just 257 receiving yards). He’s also not going to provide a shot in the arm the way a Gesicki or Schultz pickup would. But is it realistic for the Saints to go after one of those blue chip players anyway given their cap situation? If they still feel Trautman has untapped potential as a receiver, maybe adding a more proven commodity like Rudolph to take on the blocking assignments he struggled with makes sense. Rudolph is widely respected across the NFL and could be exactly the kind of influence Trautman needs to figure some things out.

And here’s an interesting angle: signing Rudolph won’t count against the 2023 compensatory draft pick formula the way another free agent would. Because the Giants are releasing him from his contract, he won’t factor in to negate any corresponding losses the Saints take. For example, let’s say that the Saints lose linebacker Kwon Alexander to another team paying him about $8 million per year — that’s likely going to bring back a fifth round pick in 2023. Signing an unrestricted free agent tight end could cancel out that pick. But bringing in another team’s cap cut like Rudolph would keep it in play. New Orleans has prioritized those type of moves lately, and it’s helped them get three compensatory selections in 2021 with three more projected for 2022. That matters.

Of course you’ve got to wonder if the Saints are even interested in upgrading their tight ends. They signed Vannett to a multiyear contract. Trautman is still on his rookie deal and obviously has a lot of growth potential given his error-filled 2021 season. Plus, New Orleans inked Taysom Hill to a long-term deal late last year — they could view that investment as impacting their plans at both quarterback and tight end, and consider the dollars he and Vannett are owed as equal to what a veteran like Rudolph would be earning. With so many other fires to put out on their roster, this just may be too low of a priority. But let’s hope not.

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Kyle Rudolph cut by Giants

Will Rudolph get picked up?

Former Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph appears to be done as a member of the New York Giants.  Rudolph posted a series of tweets Wednesday that thank the organization for his year with them.

Rudolph pulled down 26 receptions for 257 yards and one touchdown with the Giants in 2021.  For his career he now has 479 receptions for 49 scores in 156 career games.  Rudolph also has a pair of Pro Bowl appearances as well as a Pro Bowl MVP to his name.

Rudolph has played 11 seasons in the NFL after being drafted 43rd overall by the Vikings in 2011 and told Adam Schefter of ESPN that he doesn’t plan on retiring.

Related:

Every Notre Dame player with 1000+ career receiving yards

Kyle Rudolph from Notre Dame to Minnesota and New York

Giants release TE Kyle Rudolph

In a widely anticipated move, the New York Giants have released veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph.

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen told reporters on Tuesday at the NFL Combine that salary cap cuts would begin soon. And as it turns out, he wasn’t kidding.

Veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph revealed on Wednesday that his time with the Giants is over, thanking the organization and its owners on Twitter.

The release of Rudolph was widely expected given Schoen’s desire to clear upwards of $40 million in salary cap space this offseason.

More to come…