NFL free agency: Five players who would be great value signings
By John Blair
2021 NFL Free Agency: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Minnesota Vikings
A little over a week ago the Minnesota Vikings released tight end Kyle Rudolph after a 10-year run with the team. During his career with the Vikings, he caught 665 passes for 48 touchdowns and was named to the Pro Bowl twice. However, he was becoming a smaller part of the Vikings offense over the past two years and clears over five million in cap space for the team.
Rudolph should be able to make an impact wherever he goes next year. His top trait is still his ability to contribute in the passing game as he has never had less than 20 receptions in a season. His sure hands would be a welcome addition to a team’s short to intermediate passing game. He has also improved significantly as a blocker over the years and has made himself a complete tight end.
The team that would be a good fit for Rudolph would be the New England Patriots. New England was in trade talks for him before he signed his extension in Minnesota in 2019, so they definitely value him as a player. The Patriots also lacked production from this position last season, and need to bring in a veteran while Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene continue to develop.