Is Kyle Rudolph one of the 10 best tight ends in the NFL?

According to a recent ranking by CBS Sports, the current Minnesota Vikings tight end is currently among the 10 best players at his position in the NFL.

Following months of rumors regarding where he will play in 2019, Kyle Rudolph was eventually able to agree to a contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings back in June. The deal will likely result in the Vikings keeping Rudolph on their roster for at least two more seasons.

With there no longer being any questions about who he will be suiting up for in 2019, the veteran Minnesota tight end can just put all of his focus into preparing for his ninth year in the NFL.

Coming off a 2018 season that saw him finish with over 60 catches for just the second time in his career, Rudolph is hoping to be even more productive for the Vikings in 2019. Especially with Minnesota switching to an offensive scheme that is expected to feature more opportunities for tight ends.

So where does Rudolph currently rank among the rest of players in his position group around the NFL? Well, according to CBS Sports, he is still regarded as one of the 10 best tight ends in the league.

Rudolph has never been a guy who’s capable of gaining 100 receiving yards any time he steps out on the field. But his recent production has still been among the most consistent of all the tight ends in the NFL.

During the last three seasons, Rudolph has accumulated the third-most catches, the sixth-most receiving yards, and the third-most touchdowns of any tight end in the league. So his numbers definitely line up with the best in his position group.

With the addition of rookie tight end Irv Smith Jr. this year, however, Rudolph could potentially see his production take a dip in 2019. But it’s also possible that Smith’s presence on the field could actually create better matchups for the Vikings’ veteran tight end during the upcoming season too.

The end of Rudolph’s career in the NFL is obviously closer than it was a year ago. However, there is no reason to believe that he’s done being a contributor for Minnesota’s offense just yet.