Why the Minnesota Vikings should consider trading Kyle Rudolph
By Chris Schad
The Minnesota Vikings have reached a stalemate in contract negotiations with Kyle Rudolph, so should they trade the longtime tight end?
When it comes to the history of the Minnesota Vikings, there are few players that have had the career that Kyle Rudolph has had. Perhaps his success has flown under the radar, but Rudolph has made a mark donning a Vikings jersey since being drafted by the team in 2011, ranking in the top 10 in franchise history in catches (eighth), yards (ninth) and touchdowns (fifth).
If you mix in Rudolph’s work off the field, which helped push him into the conversation for the Walter Payton Man of The Year Award last winter, it should be a no brainer that the Vikings keep him on the roster. However, the NFL is a league about what you have done for me lately.
Since having a career year in 2016, Rudolph’s numbers have dropped despite heading to his second Pro Bowl in 2017. As the 30-year-old enters a contract year in which he’ll make roughly $7.2 million, the Vikings have to make the decision whether keeping Rudolph around is worth potentially getting nothing for him if he leaves after this season.
With Rudolph and the Vikings still reportedly far apart from agreeing to a new deal, it adds another layer as to what the team should do. Despite Rudolph’s past contributions, now might be a good time to move on.
What are a few reasons why Minnesota should look into trading their veteran tight end before the start of the 2019 season?