Buffalo Bills: Making the case to sign free agent tight end Kyle Rudolph
The Buffalo Bills are going to be looking to add a tight end this offseason and another potential free agent target recently became available. The Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday released Kyle Rudolph, who has played the past 10 seasons with the Vikings after they selected him in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
This is a recap of Kyle Rudolph’s career to this point and why the Buffalo Bills might consider signing the veteran tight end.
Career
In the 10 seasons with the Vikings, Rudolph has been their primary starting tight end almost right from the start as a rookie. He has 453 receptions, 4,488 receiving yards and 48 touchdowns in 140 games (132 starts). He has made the Pro Bowl twice, with his most recent trip coming in 2017.
He also has proven to be rather durable and from 2015 to 2019 played in every regular season game. This past season though he did miss four games due to a foot injury at the end of the season.
Why the Buffalo Bills might sign Kyle Rudolph
The reasoning to sign Kyle Rudolph is very similar to the case made for New Orleans Saints’ tight end Jared Cook. If the Buffalo Bills still hope for Dawson Knox to become that starting tight end, they could look to a veteran to step into that top role which takes the pressure off Knox and gives him some time to develop.
Rudolph during his career has shown to be a reliable pass catcher (he has only one drop in the past three seasons) and could be a big red zone threat for this offense. Of his 48 career touchdowns, 37 have come inside the 20-yard line and 28 have come inside the 10-yard line, according to Pro Football Reference.
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If the Buffalo Bills ultimately want a veteran who could eventually turn the job over to Dawson Knox, then Kyle Rudolph is one of the best options to fill that type of role.