Minnesota Vikings 2017 positional needs evaluation: Tight End

The Minnesota Vikings missed out on a tight end during the early stages of free agency, but will they still be looking at improving that grouping for 2017?

During the 2016 season, the Minnesota Vikings made great use of their tight ends. They used the big bodied individuals in both passing and rushing situations, adding a new dimension to the offense.

However, with the loss of Rhett Ellison and MyCole Pruitt, the grouping looks to be a little more thin than in the past. Because of that, the Vikings were looking at some of the top tight ends available in free agency.

Here is a list of the tight ends who are currently on the roster for the Minnesota Vikings entering the 2017 NFL season:

• Kyle Rudolph (signed through 2019)
• David Morgan (signed through 2019)
• Kyle Carter (signed through 2018)
• Nick Truesdell (contract details unknown)

The great news right away is that both Rudolph and Morgan are under contract for the next three seasons. This provides a solid base for the Vikings to build off from at tight end and is one of the few situations with long-term situations worked out already.

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Both players offer different things for Minnesota. Rudolph is a pass catching specialist who can be a decent blocker while Morgan is an excellent blocker who can be sneaky in the passing game at times. This covers just about everything the team needs heading into to 2017.

Since Morgan may also be used as a lead blocker at times in the run game and Rudolph’s primary focus will be running routes and catching footballs, that leaves the TE3 situation open for anyone to grab, including the two other tight ends on the roster.

Minnesota continues to kick the tires on Kyle Carter, hoping to see him develop. Meanwhile, Truesdell is a wild card who was signed from the veteran’s combine and a longshot to make an impact during the 2017 season.

Next: 2017 Vikings needs - Running back

Considering how the Minnesota Vikings went after Jared Cook in free agency, fans might want to expect the team to look at adding a tight end during the draft. Depending on where the value drops to, it could be one of their earlier picks in hopes of solidifying this unit.