It seems like we ask this question year after year.
And here we are again.
Will Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph be back with the team in 2021?
Here’s what we know:
Rudolph is 31 years old and has missed three games this season due to a foot injury. Even when he was healthy, Rudolph averaged just 27 receiving yards per game.
We also know that he has a cap hit of $9.45 million next season, but the Vikings can save more than $5 million if they decide to release him.
Maybe rather than releasing him, a more likely scenario is the team restructuring his deal (again) for a one-year deal.
Perhaps the biggest reason, however, why Rudolph is expendable is the emergence of second-year tight end Irv Smith Jr. Smith has five touchdowns in his last five games. Smith is the modern receiving tight end that Rudolph no longer is.
It’s a storyline to keep an eye on this offseason.