Talk of Kyle Rudolph to New England may heat up again soon
By Adam Patrick
The New England Patriots made a roster move on Tuesday that is causing some to believe they may be interested in the Minnesota Vikings tight end once again.
Just when everyone thought the talk of the Minnesota Vikings possibly trading Kyle Rudolph to the New England Patriots was over, a transaction was made recently that may put the tight end right back in the rumor mill once again.
In a move that came as a bit of a surprise, the Patriots decided to release tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins on Tuesday. Seferian-Jenkins was believed to be in competition for one of New England’s top two tight end spots for 2019, but that doesn’t appear like it will be happening anymore.
He may return to the Patriots at some point before the season though as NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported that the tight end is stepping away from football for a bit to deal with some personal issues. So the door on him possibly coming back hasn’t been completely shut yet.
Still, with Seferian-Jenkins no longer on the roster and Ben Watson suspended for the first four games of the 2019 season, New England is in need of a reliable tight end.
Earlier this year, the Patriots and Vikings reportedly discussed a possible trade involving Kyle Rudolph. Nothing ever came of the report and the two teams have seemed to go their separate ways since then.
But with Rudolph still without a contract extension from Minnesota and New England in need of improving their tight end group, the Patriots may want to look back into acquiring the Vikings’ veteran pass catcher.
Minnesota is still in need of creating more cap space and trading Rudolph would provide some much-needed help to their current salary cap situation. The Vikings may not get great compensation in return for the veteran (maybe a fifth-round draft pick at best), but it still may be a move worth making if it results in them freeing up more cap space.
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New England and the Vikings are two teams that have never been afraid to pull the trigger on a trade over the last few years. So Rudolph opening the 2019 season in a Patriots uniform is something that, unfortunately, cannot be put to bed just yet.