Vikings Release Kyle Rudolph
4 years agoThe Minnesota Vikings released tight end Kyle Rudolph on Tuesday, according to sources. Rudolph becomes a free agent after 10 seasons and two trips to the Pro Bowl with Minnesota. He was set to make a base salary of $7.65 million in 2021 in the second season of a four-year, $36 million contract. Releasing Rudolph will save the team a little more than $5 million in salary cap space and $8 million in cash in 2021. A second-round pick in 2011, the 31-year-old is a free agent for the first time in his career and should draw real interest on the open market. In the right situation, he could return to TE1 status as a solid red-zone target. Back in Minnesota, Irv Smith Jr. had already started to take over as the team's top pass-catching tight end in 2020. Smith had 30 catches for 365 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games (seven starts) last year, while Rudolph had 28 receptions for 334 yards and one TD in 12 starts.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport