4 questions the Vikings must answer before the 2021 NFL Draft

Will Rudolph be cut or traded?

Kyle Rudolph is another aging veteran that the Vikings need to figure out what to do with this offseason.

The guy is 31-years-old and he is currently scheduled to have a $9.45 million cap hit in 2021. That is a large cap hit for an aging tight end who is coming off a season where he played in 12 games and only caught 28 passes for 334 yards and one touchdown.

The other factor that goes against Rudolph sticking with the team, besides his exorbitant cap hit, is the fact that both Irv Smith Jr. and Tyler Conklin stepped up in his absence during the 2020 campaign.

Conklin emerged as a solid option in the passing game as he made some tough grabs on his way to a career-best season of 19 receptions for 194 yards and a score. Smith took over Rudolph’s red-zone targets in 2020, hauling in five touchdowns in his second season with Minnesota.

The Vikings proved they can survive without Rudolph in the lineup in 2020 and they have two quality options on the roster. Rudolph remains one of the leaders on this team and he has had a major positive impact on the local Minnesota communities.

The veteran tight end has already stated that he doesn’t want to leave the Vikings, but he also said he’s not going to restructure his deal again. This could lead Minnesota to trade the tight end if they can find a suitor this year or cut him if they can’t.

Rudolph’s future with the team is in doubt, but the Vikings can’t let this linger into April when they have to fill out their roster with a plethora of young players.