Kyle Rudolph has been a staple of the Vikings offense.
Rudolph has also found a way to remain productive as he has aged, becoming a stellar red zone target for Kirk Cousins.
However, the Vikings may have to cut back on some veteran contracts this offseason. Rudolph is a popular name that comes up when discussing such matters.
The Minnesota tight end has a cap hit of over $9.4 million for 2021, per Over The Cap. Not only that, but Irv Smith Jr. and Tyler Conklin seem like a serviceable tight end combination for the future.
Rudolph recently talked about his contract situation:
“I’m realistic,” Rudolph said to Ben Leber on the Unrestricted podcast (H/T KFAN). “I see both sides. I’m looking at this situation like hey we’re paying this guy a lot of money and you’re not using him so why are we paying him a lot of money? … I think I’m worth every dime of my contract, that doesn’t mean that I’m used to my potential and I’m used to do what I do well.”
It’s a tough situation for Rudolph, who has been a good player for the Vikings. That said, it may make sense for the team to move on, especially if Rudolph doesn’t want to restructure. It’s certainly gearing up to be an interesting offseason.
