SemperFeist Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 8 hours ago, vikingsrule said: Is Harrison Smith now the longest tenured Viking? He was drafted in 2012. Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cearbhall Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 It was fun watching Rudolph and I'll miss seeing him out there. I do not disagree with the organization in letting go of the aging veteran at this point. He wasn't worth paying that contract. To me he was always a pass catching TE that was below average to poor helping out in pass protection when they asked him to do that. As his ability to make plays in the passing game declined, his usefulness to the team also declined. I hope there is another team out there that doesn't have to count on keeping TEs in to pass protect as often. With that, I think he can be useful to a team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingsrule Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 34 minutes ago, Cearbhall said: It was fun watching Rudolph and I'll miss seeing him out there. I do not disagree with the organization in letting go of the aging veteran at this point. He wasn't worth paying that contract. To me he was always a pass catching TE that was below average to poor helping out in pass protection when they asked him to do that. As his ability to make plays in the passing game declined, his usefulness to the team also declined. I hope there is another team out there that doesn't have to count on keeping TEs in to pass protect as often. With that, I think he can be useful to a team. Unfortunately for Rudolph, I don’t think he’s athletic enough to be in a lead TE role where he may be asked to block more than he’d like to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 I’d like to see Rudolph sign with the Rams or the Browns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 If the Vikings could get someone of the Rudolph mode for every position on the team, the Vikings would be great. Rudolph was never a distraction, and in fact, was a great teammate of the highest character. His off the field work will be hard to replace. But these are not what would make the Vikings great. Instead, Rudolph's willingness to do anything that the team wanted him to, at the expense of his own individual statistics is what makes him outstanding in my eyes. He became a better than average blocker, yet his talents lay in the passing game, especially in the red zone. What's unfortunate is that the quarterbacks that the Vikings have had in the last 10 years rarely have used the TE as a first option. Cousins in particular rarely looks the TE's way. Why should he with Diggs, Theilen and now Jefferson to throw to? It didn't matter to Rudolph. He was a team player first and foremost. Those guys are hard to replace nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 42 minutes ago, Cearbhall said: It was fun watching Rudolph and I'll miss seeing him out there. I do not disagree with the organization in letting go of the aging veteran at this point. He wasn't worth paying that contract. To me he was always a pass catching TE that was below average to poor helping out in pass protection when they asked him to do that. As his ability to make plays in the passing game declined, his usefulness to the team also declined. I hope there is another team out there that doesn't have to count on keeping TEs in to pass protect as often. With that, I think he can be useful to a team. His blocking ability improved tremendously compared to when he came into the league. I would say, he's better than average for a TE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 The Vikings announced Tuesday they are cutting Kyle Rudolph. Rudolph spent nine seasons with Stefanski in Minnesota, and would love to play for Stefanski again, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/03/02/if-browns-move-on-from-david-njoku-kyle-rudolph-would-appear-a-fit/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 (edited) Spielman: "From the moment we drafted Kyle as a young man out of Notre Dame in 2011, through his 10th season with the Vikings in 2020, he has been one of the premier tight ends in the NFL and most influential and positive leaders I’ve ever been around. Kyle and Jordan have made such an immeasurable impact on our team and community that may never be matched. The energy they have invested in the community, most notably through the End Zone at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, is truly remarkable. I admire Kyle and we will miss him and his family. We sincerely wish them the best.” Zimmer: “Kyle has been a leader and mentor for us on and off the field from the first day I arrived in Minnesota. He has been such an important part of this team and community throughout his career and it has been an honor to coach him the last seven seasons. He will be missed, and we wish him and his family nothing but the best.” Rudolph meant a lot to the Vikings and the Minneapolis community for what he did on and off the field. But Rudolph, 31, missed four games last season and made 28 catches for 334 yards and one touchdown last season, the third-fewest catches, the fourth-fewest yards and the fewest touchdowns in a season in his career. He was due to make a $7.65 million base salary in 2021 and count $9.45 million against the Vikings’ salary cap. https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/03/02/mike-zimmer-kyle-rudolph-will-be-missed/ Edited March 3, 2021 by vike daddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 37 minutes ago, Virginia Viking said: If the Vikings could get someone of the Rudolph mode for every position on the team, the Vikings would be great. Rudolph was never a distraction, and in fact, was a great teammate of the highest character. His off the field work will be hard to replace. But these are not what would make the Vikings great. Instead, Rudolph's willingness to do anything that the team wanted him to, at the expense of his own individual statistics is what makes him outstanding in my eyes. He became a better than average blocker, yet his talents lay in the passing game, especially in the red zone. What's unfortunate is that the quarterbacks that the Vikings have had in the last 10 years rarely have used the TE as a first option. Cousins in particular rarely looks the TE's way. Why should he with Diggs, Theilen and now Jefferson to throw to? It didn't matter to Rudolph. He was a team player first and foremost. Those guys are hard to replace nowadays. Cousins looked to Jordan Reed quite a bit. Rudolph was a good possession TE, but he was never a field stretcher. He's paid far too much to be a check-down and Red Zone option. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 1 hour ago, wcblack34 said: Cousins looked to Jordan Reed quite a bit. Rudolph was a good possession TE, but he was never a field stretcher. He's paid far too much to be a check-down and Red Zone option. Don't get me wrong. The Vikings made the right decision in letting him go. He doesn't fit into the offensive scheme. I'm just appreciating his time with the Vikings and his "I'll do what is best for the team" attitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrplChilPill Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 Right business decision, bummer of a decision from a human perspective, imo. This is and example of why NE traded veterans while they were still good, rather than hold onto them and get nothing in return......Just one person's opinion... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplepride323 Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Virginia Viking said: Don't get me wrong. The Vikings made the right decision in letting him go. He doesn't fit into the offensive scheme. I'm just appreciating his time with the Vikings and his "I'll do what is best for the team" attitude. Him doing what’s best for the team would be to take a pay cut. He didn’t do that. Now he will most likely get to realize that no team will pay him more than $4-5 million a year. If Eric Kendricks can take a pay cut for the team, why shouldn’t anyone else? Kendricks was our best defensive player last year, and he was coming off of a pay cut, to free up money for other players. That’s a great teammate right there. Edited March 3, 2021 by Purplepride323 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VikeManDan Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 41 minutes ago, Purplepride323 said: Him doing what’s best for the team would be to take a pay cut. He didn’t do that. Now he will most likely get to realize that no team will pay him more than $4-5 million a year. If Eric Kendricks can take a pay cut for the team, why shouldn’t anyone else. Kendricks was our best defensive player last year, and he was coming off of a pay cut, to free up money for other players. That’s a great teammate right there. Pay cut and restructure are not the same thing though. Kendricks didn't take a pay cut. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 3 minutes ago, VikeManDan said: Pay cut and restructure are not the same thing though. Kendricks didn't take a pay cut. And it’s a restructure that he has no say in the matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplepride323 Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, VikeManDan said: Pay cut and restructure are not the same thing though. Kendricks didn't take a pay cut. If he was due to make $12 million, but restructures to make $8 million, to me that’s a $4 million pay cut. He basically made less money last year, how is that not a pay cut? Cousins did the same thing. I think it shows a lot of character when you sacrifice your money to keep other key players around. Edited March 3, 2021 by Purplepride323 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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