Minnesota Vikings 53-man offensive roster projection: Pre-training camp
By Adam Carlson
Projected tight ends
For a while, it seemed as though the Vikings were collecting tight ends. Rhett Ellison and MyCole Pruitt are now on different NFL teams and the door is open for other tight ends to make a name for themselves.
#1. Kyle Rudolph
Coming off the best statistical season of his career, there is still plenty of room for Rudolph to become an even bigger part of the offense. Last year, he had 840 receiving yards and caught 7 touchdowns. With a healthy season and a better connection with Sam Bradford, those numbers should increase in 2017.
#2. David Morgan
Primarily a blocking tight end, Morgan can do some sneaky things. He has the ability to line up as a fullback and sneak out as a pass catcher, where he has shown to have soft hands at the college level. Meanwhile, when the team needs a powerful blocker to spring loose a ball carrier, Morgan’s number will likely be called.
#3. Bucky Hodges
More like a wide receiver than a tight end, Hodges will need to work on his blocking if he wants to be a more complete player at his position. Still, the 6th round draft pick offers the Vikings a lot of value in the pass game by using his 6’6″ frame and athletic ability to get separation and win jump balls.