Oakland Raiders
In his report about extension talks between the Vikings and Rudolph breaking off, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport mentioned the Raiders as a team that could possibly be interested in trading for the tight end.
Since Jon Gruden was brought back to be the team’s head coach last year, Oakland has shown they aren’t afraid to make a trade or two. Could Rudolph be the next player they attempt to acquire?
The Raiders currently have almost $30 million in cap space, so affording the Vikings tight end in 2019 would not be a problem. The Raiders’ could also just use an upgrade at tight end.
Heading into training camp this summer, Oakland’s top two tight ends are Derrick Carrier and Luke Wilson. In 2018, Carrier and Wilson combined to haul in a total of 20 passes. So an opportunity to acquire Rudolph seems like something the Raiders would consider.
Tight end Jared Cook was a big part of Oakland’s offense for the last two years and he decided to sign with the New Orleans Saints this offseason. If the Raiders can land Rudolph in a trade, it would definitely help make up for the loss of Cook.