The case against keeping Rudolph in 2019
The game of football has changed in the past couple of years. With speed freaks running up and down the field trying to put scoreboards on tilt, the days of a tight end like Rudolph dominating could be coming to a close.
After his career season in 2016, his numbers have been in decline. In 2017, Rudolph logged 57 catches to go with 532 yards and eight touchdowns and last season, his final numbers (64 catches, 634 yards, four touchdowns) were respectable, but he didn’t eclipse 50 or more receiving yards in 12 of his 16 games.
Also mix in the random 122-yard, two touchdown game against the Detroit Lions in Week 16, and his numbers come out looking a lot worse.
With Rudolph holding owed around $7.6 million next year, that’s simply too much money to give a player who could be on the decline. The Vikings also tried to draft a more athletic tight end last year in Tyler Conklin, but that turned out to be a failed experiment and the on-again, off-again production of Rudolph had to do.
This offseason, there is a deep tight end draft class that could make replacing Rudolph much easier.
With names such as Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson, and Dawson Knox available in the first round and Irv Smith or Kaden Smith likely available on Day 2, there’s a good chance that Minnesota general manager Rick Spielman could take a chance on one of these talented prospects.