Vikings Veteran Starter an ‘Easy Target’ in Offseason Cuts, Analyst Says

Getty Kyle Rudolph is considered an easy target to be cut this season.

Is the first cut the deepest?

If Pro Football Network’s Tommy Garrett’s speculation that Minnesota Vikings veteran Kyle Rudolph is the “easiest target” to be cut in the offseason, the Cat Stevens classic will surely ring true.

Rudolph is the longest-tenured veteran on the Vikings roster. Drafted in the second round of the 2011 draft, the 31-year-old tight end is fifth all-time in touchdown catches (47) and owns the most by any tight end in Vikings history.

Beyond his play on the field, Rudolph has been an outstanding member of the team. Rudolph was named the Minnesota Vikings Community Man of the Year from 2017-2019 for his volunteer efforts at the Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. He also created Rudy’s Meal Plan, which donated 82,000 meals to kids during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last spring.

But Rudolph’s current price tag is too steep to go unmarked this offseason.

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 Rudolph Likely an Unfortunate Cap Casualty

The two-time Pro Bowler carries the second-highest base salary at his position entering the 2021 season at $7.65 million and the fourth-highest cap hit at $9.45 million despite him ranking 36th in receptions (28).

The Vikings are anticipated to be nearly $13 million under the salary cap, per OvertheCap, and that’s before the league announces a potential hit to the cap due to revenue losses this past season. Minnesota could save $5.1 million in cap space if he is released before June 1.

Few teams will likely want to take his contract in a trade, leaving the only other option for the Vikings is to ask Rudolph to restructure his contract and take a significant pay cut. It may not be enough as many pundits see Rudolph as an easy choice and necessary cut over other veterans like Riley Reiff and Shamar Stephen.

Reiff and Stephen may still be cut as the Vikings need to decide on whether to re-sign Anthony Harris and Eric Wilson this offseason.

 Vikings Will Need a 3rd Tight End to Step Up in Rudolph’s Absence

GettyTyler Conklin and Irv Smith Jr. could be the Vikings’ primary tight ends in 2021.

Contrary to popular belief, Rudolph actually outsnapped Irv Smith Jr. this season. Both players missed three games in 2020, with Rudolph playing 572 snaps in 13 games compared to Smith’s 545. Smith has been proven the more effective receiving threat and overtook the scoring duties from Rudolph, scoring five touchdowns to the veteran’s single TD in 2020.

Tyler Conklin shined in a supplementary role in the second half of the season, catching 19 of 26 targets for 194 yards and a touchdown. He’ll likely take over in two-tight end sets, meanwhile, Minnesota will need a third tight end rostered in the event Rudolph is cut.

Undrafted tight end Brandon Dillon played seldom special teams reps this season, while Smith’s college teammate at Alabama, Hale Hentges, was a midseason addition to the practice squad.

Hentges thrived as the blocking counterpart to Smith as a receiving tight end in college but also shined in his rookie year as a pass-catcher. He played four 11 games in Washington in 2019, catching eight passes for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Hentges could be the ideal replacement of Rudolph, the better run-blocker of the Vikings’ starting tight end tandem.

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Trevor Squire is a Heavy contributor covering the Minnesota Vikings and journalism graduate from the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities. Connect with him on Twitter @trevordsquire and join our Vikings community at Heavy on Vikings on Facebook.