Kyle Rudolph signs extension

[RubeTube]

Lol. This team is loaded and has Kirk next year etc and we have one poster worried about "Tanking for Lawrence"

Also laughing at the fact some here call Rudolph a "Offensive weapon"

Let's get a grip fellas.

#Hoist

[RubeTube]

Kyle Rudolph's contract makes him the #4 paid WR and close to what Kelce gets. Lulz.

I don't care "Guaranteed" this or that. It's what his contract is right now and that's a joke.

[Hector]

I thought Michael Jenkins was a better version of Kyle as far as receiving and a much more willing blocker and people couldn't wait to get rid of him.

Yes TE/WR but my point stands- Jenkins was more likely to jump inside and gut out a block than Kyle but this move was predictable so whatever.

[B-Town]

I doubt they'd follow my clean house, trade players with value except the franchise cornerstones, etc... I'd do my best for 2020 to be a rebuilding year and hope for as many losses as possible because Trevor Lawrence is that good. Will the Vikings do that? Probably not.

The Vikings don't do things like this, because they're always convinced that they can take a shortcut or 2 and be back in contention. It hasn't worked for 50+ years, but it's gotta work eventually, right?

So no matter the stadium, the owner, the GM and the coach they always do it the same way?

Seems that way, doesn't it?

[Phrooster]

I look at it this way the coaching staff and ownership think enough of Rudy to give that$ I'll trust there knowledge over any one on this board including Oscar

[twgerber]

I get that Rudy is a good dude and a steady player, but this deal 100% benefits him and not the team. The Vikings have lost sight of anything beyond 2019. I hope they win the Super Bowl, because they've set themselves up for a trip to salary cap hell, starting in 2020.

The team gets $4.5M in cap space this year and no guaranteed money to Rudolph after this year (except in case of injury for 2020 only). Seems like a team friendly deal also. He gets more cash now and the team gets flexibility.

Trade off

Any deal where the team makes a commitment to Rudolph longer than this season is not team friendly. They're potentially giving up flexibility for more cash to spend on a roster that's basically set for 2019. They made the deal to placate a disgruntled player. It wasn't done with the team's best interest in mind. It was done as a way to keep everyone on track to try to win the Super Bowl this year. If they win it, great! The mess that we'll have to start cleaning up in 2020 will be worth it. If they fail, this is just another bloated contract that could become an issue.

I think the deal is very team friendly. No guaranteed money after this year. Perfect.

If Smith takes off this year they can let Rudolph go.

If he doesn't they have a security blanket for 2020.

Rudolph has been top 10 for several years now. I see no issue with this set up on his contract. I trust how the Vikings negotiate deals to not overly handicap the team.

[twgerber]

Kyle Rudolph's contract makes him the #4 paid WR and close to what Kelce gets. Lulz.

I don't care "Guaranteed" this or that. It's what his contract is right now and that's a joke.

He is the #9 paid TE at $7.3M/yr avg.

He is not the #4 WR in the league. What are you talking about..... And Kelce's avg is $2M more per year or about 23% higher.

[B-Town]

The team gets $4.5M in cap space this year and no guaranteed money to Rudolph after this year (except in case of injury for 2020 only). Seems like a team friendly deal also. He gets more cash now and the team gets flexibility.

Trade off

Any deal where the team makes a commitment to Rudolph longer than this season is not team friendly. They're potentially giving up flexibility for more cash to spend on a roster that's basically set for 2019. They made the deal to placate a disgruntled player. It wasn't done with the team's best interest in mind. It was done as a way to keep everyone on track to try to win the Super Bowl this year. If they win it, great! The mess that we'll have to start cleaning up in 2020 will be worth it. If they fail, this is just another bloated contract that could become an issue.

I think the deal is very team friendly. No guaranteed money after this year. Perfect.

If Smith takes off this year they can let Rudolph go.

If he doesn't they have a security blanket for 2020.

Rudolph has been top 10 for several years now. I see no issue with this set up on his contract. I trust how the Vikings negotiate deals to not overly handicap the team.

What you're saying is incorrect. Rudolph's previous contract was team friendly. He plays here in 2019, then both sides can reevaluate.

This new contract hooks the team for an additional year if he gets injured. And it guarantees him a Top 5 TE salary if the team doesn't cut him in 2020. It's another unnecessary bloated contract that the Vikings have been handing out like candy.

[HeHateMe]

Any deal where the team makes a commitment to Rudolph longer than this season is not team friendly. They're potentially giving up flexibility for more cash to spend on a roster that's basically set for 2019. They made the deal to placate a disgruntled player. It wasn't done with the team's best interest in mind. It was done as a way to keep everyone on track to try to win the Super Bowl this year. If they win it, great! The mess that we'll have to start cleaning up in 2020 will be worth it. If they fail, this is just another bloated contract that could become an issue.

I think the deal is very team friendly. No guaranteed money after this year. Perfect.

If Smith takes off this year they can let Rudolph go.

If he doesn't they have a security blanket for 2020.

Rudolph has been top 10 for several years now. I see no issue with this set up on his contract. I trust how the Vikings negotiate deals to not overly handicap the team.

What you're saying is incorrect. Rudolph's previous contract was team friendly. He plays here in 2019, then both sides can reevaluate.

This new contract hooks the team for an additional year if he gets injured. And it guarantees him a Top 5 TE salary if the team doesn't cut him in 2020. It's another unnecessary bloated contract that the Vikings have been handing out like candy.

Maybe they're going to sign Jamarca Sanford and have him break his own teammates femur again.

EDIT.. wait, it's guaranteed if he gets hurt. I think Ben Goessling said it best, it's basically a two year deal and the guarantees will be up after the first two years. Right? It's not like he's 35 and can't perform anymore.

[HeHateMe]

Lol. This team is loaded and has Kirk next year etc and we have one poster worried about "Tanking for Lawrence"

Also laughing at the fact some here call Rudolph a "Offensive weapon"

Let's get a grip fellas.

#Hoist

Worried? Why don't you quote me on the Lawrence thing. Ideally Kirk has a good season and we get an extension done that lowers his cap number for 2020. The tanking for Lawrence deal is what you do if this team doesn't work out, you miss the playoffs again, etc.

This isn't that hard to figure out, RT.

[vikesbumeout]

I think I would have let Rudy walk and pick him up on the cheap.

But then again, it’s not my job on the line.

[B-Town]

I think the deal is very team friendly. No guaranteed money after this year. Perfect.

If Smith takes off this year they can let Rudolph go.

If he doesn't they have a security blanket for 2020.

Rudolph has been top 10 for several years now. I see no issue with this set up on his contract. I trust how the Vikings negotiate deals to not overly handicap the team.

What you're saying is incorrect. Rudolph's previous contract was team friendly. He plays here in 2019, then both sides can reevaluate.

This new contract hooks the team for an additional year if he gets injured. And it guarantees him a Top 5 TE salary if the team doesn't cut him in 2020. It's another unnecessary bloated contract that the Vikings have been handing out like candy.

Maybe they're going to sign Jamarca Sanford and have him break his own teammates femur again.

EDIT.. wait, it's guaranteed if he gets hurt. I think Ben Goessling said it best, it's basically a two year deal and the guarantees will be up after the first two years. Right? It's not like he's 35 and can't perform anymore.

He's not 35, no, but Rudy is not worth this contract, especially in context of how this team's cap situation is lining up.

[HeHateMe]

What you're saying is incorrect. Rudolph's previous contract was team friendly. He plays here in 2019, then both sides can reevaluate.

This new contract hooks the team for an additional year if he gets injured. And it guarantees him a Top 5 TE salary if the team doesn't cut him in 2020. It's another unnecessary bloated contract that the Vikings have been handing out like candy.

Maybe they're going to sign Jamarca Sanford and have him break his own teammates femur again.

EDIT.. wait, it's guaranteed if he gets hurt. I think Ben Goessling said it best, it's basically a two year deal and the guarantees will be up after the first two years. Right? It's not like he's 35 and can't perform anymore.

He's not 35, no, but Rudy is not worth this contract, especially in context of how this team's cap situation is lining up.

As I said on the page before, there is cap flexibility coming whether the team does well or not. Guys want security and you can always lower numbers for guys YOU want to keep if the money isn't guaranteed. See last page for the guys I put out there. And end of the day, you really cannot keep everyone unless you decide to go rookie qb and cut bait on Cousins after 2020 (or trade him in the offseason I guess?).

[HeHateMe]

Rumblings out there maybe for a Harry Smith contract extension to make the numbers a bit more workable?

[mlhouse]

Like I have said all along, this extension wasn't the most difficult thing to get done. You just pay Rudolph a signing bonus and 2019 that was near what he was owed for 2019 in his original contract. That spread most of that value over 3-4 years (he signed a 4 year deal). We get some future dead cap, but the deal's potential rollover more than pays for that.

All of the Rudolph detractors are pretty much out to lunch. Rudolph is a slightly above average NFL tight end. I think the Vikings game plan for the TE was very conservative and never used Rudolph to maximum effectiveness. He is NOT good at YAC, but then, in many of his catch scenarios he is in a poor position to get YAC just because of the route tree he has run. I personally think he is a good seam route runner because he more htan makes up for his lack of straightline speed with very good hands and a large catch radius, but the Vikings offense rarely runs that route.

This contract gives us the two cost effective years of Rudolph and that is a great benefit for the team.

In 2020, while the team will have some salary cap issues, they also have a lot of contracts that they can work with to adjust to create room, including Kirk Cousins whose contract is all guaranteed salary. A Cousins extension could move a huge chunk of his $29.5 million salary into signing bonus (just like the Rudolph exentsion) and reduce his salary cap hit by $20 million.

[RubeTube]

Lol. This team is loaded and has Kirk next year etc and we have one poster worried about "Tanking for Lawrence"

Also laughing at the fact some here call Rudolph a "Offensive weapon"

Let's get a grip fellas.

#Hoist

Worried? Why don't you quote me on the Lawrence thing. Ideally Kirk has a good season and we get an extension done that lowers his cap number for 2020. The tanking for Lawrence deal is what you do if this team doesn't work out, you miss the playoffs again, etc.

This isn't that hard to figure out, RT.

C'MON MAN!! This is one of the most loaded rosters in the league. To even be thinking they will try or be in a position to pick #1 is ludicrous.

We could be in the middle of a dynasty by the time that draft rolls around.

It shouldn't even be talked about.

[HeHateMe]

Lol. This team is loaded and has Kirk next year etc and we have one poster worried about "Tanking for Lawrence"

Also laughing at the fact some here call Rudolph a "Offensive weapon"

Let's get a grip fellas.

#Hoist

Worried? Why don't you quote me on the Lawrence thing. Ideally Kirk has a good season and we get an extension done that lowers his cap number for 2020. The tanking for Lawrence deal is what you do if this team doesn't work out, you miss the playoffs again, etc.

This isn't that hard to figure out, RT.

C'MON MAN!! This is one of the most loaded rosters in the league. To even be thinking they will try or be in a position to pick #1 is ludicrous.

We could be in the middle of a dynasty by the time that draft rolls around.

It shouldn't even be talked about.

Yeah, I wouldn't have thought that was the case a year ago either then what happened? Just outlining a scenario where I prefer they go for a pretty good rebuild if they don't make the playoffs in 2019.

[Joe Bag 'O Donuts]

Best capologist in the league. Should prob get the benefit of the doubt until something goes wrong. But, you know, fingers crossed that certain dire predictions made around here start coming true, and we lose some big pieces soon. Gotta get some run out of that KC contract troll!

[bombers3shooter]

Lol. This team is loaded and has Kirk next year etc and we have one poster worried about "Tanking for Lawrence"

Also laughing at the fact some here call Rudolph a "Offensive weapon"

Let's get a grip fellas.

#Hoist

In comparison to their own position group Kyle Rudolph is a better Tight End than Kirk Cousins is a Quarterback when they are stacked up against their peers league wide. Both are mediocre at best. The Vikings won't be relevant until Cousins is off the books.

[RubeTube]

Lol. This team is loaded and has Kirk next year etc and we have one poster worried about "Tanking for Lawrence"

Also laughing at the fact some here call Rudolph a "Offensive weapon"

Let's get a grip fellas.

#Hoist

In comparison to their own position group Kyle Rudolph is a better Tight End than Kirk Cousins is a Quarterback when they are stacked up against their peers league wide. Both are mediocre at best. The Vikings won't be relevant until Cousins is off the books.

[bubu dubu.]

Rudolph is needed because of the lack of a WR3, as well as lack of endzone targets. It just feels weird, as they have invested in the TE somewhat heavily in the last few drafts.

[RubeTube]

Rudolph is needed because of the lack of a WR3, as well as lack of endzone targets. It just feels weird, as they have invested in the TE somewhat heavily in the last few drafts.

If they would of cut him back in March, they could have signed a WR #3.

[HeHateMe]

Rudolph is needed because of the lack of a WR3, as well as lack of endzone targets. It just feels weird, as they have invested in the TE somewhat heavily in the last few drafts.

If they would of cut him back in March, they could have signed a WR #3.

The two guys I liked have bigger cap hits than Rudolph. You need Rudolph's number much lower to have any kind of flexibility during the season. So which WR were you getting for lower money than Tate/Williams?

[HeHateMe]

After the completion of Kyle Rudolph’s four-year contract extension, the Vikings bought themselves some breathing room under the salary cap for the 2019 league year. They’ve now got $4,686,926 under the cap, having created $4.075 million of cap space with Rudolph’s new deal.

Their 2020 cap situation, which was tenuous before signing Rudolph, will still require some work between now and next spring.

According to sources with access to NFL Players Association salary data, Rudolph received a $7.25 million signing bonus, and retains the ability to make up to $250,000 in per-game roster bonuses and $100,000 in offseason workout bonuses in each year of the deal. His annual base salaries and cap numbers are as follows:

2019: $1.75 million base (fully guaranteed)/$3.55 million cap number

2020: $7.025 million base (guaranteed for injury)/$8.825 million cap number

2021: $7.65 million/$9.45 million

2022: $8.45 million/$10.25 million

2023: $9.85 million/$11.65 million

The Vikings would incur $5.8 million in dead money charges — against $3.025 million in cap savings — if they released Rudolph before 2020, so the team might look at the deal as a two-year proposition before it would make much sense to get out of it. It’s not believed that Rudolph’s $7.025 million base salary in 2020 — which is currently guaranteed against injury only — becomes fully guaranteed before next season, so if Rudolph stays healthy, the team could always think about releasing him with a post-June 1 designation, which would allow them to push $4.35 million of dead money charges into 2021, when Kirk Cousins will either have a new contract or the team will have a new quarterback.

As it stands now, though, the Vikings are carrying $211.638 million worth of cap charges into 2020. Even if they’re able to carry over some of their remaining cap space into next season, and the NFL salary cap spikes to $200 million, they’ll again need to clear space to be able to do much in free agency and sign draft picks.

Veterans like Riley Reiff, Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph and Xavier Rhodes — who will all be at least 30 and carry cap numbers of at least $12.9 million in 2020 — could be candidates for release or restructured deals before next season. The Vikings will have decisions to make on cornerbacks Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander, as well as safety Anthony Harris and defensive end Stephen Weatherly, so it’s possible they’ll part with a couple of longtime fixtures in Mike Zimmer’s defense in an effort to keep some of their younger players. Reiff, who turns 31 on Dec. 1, would likely need a better year than he had in 2018 to remain in Minnesota on his current contract. But then again, if the Vikings release him, they’ll have to be confident enough about their options at tackle to move on.

The Vikings’ deft salary cap management under VP of football operations Rob Brzezinski will likely continue into another year of tough decisions. But after an offseason when the Vikings had to restructure contracts of three veterans — Griffen, Rudolph and Eric Kendricks — just to sign Josh Kline, keep Anthony Barr (among others) and sign their draft picks, the set of decisions facing them in 2020 might involve some big names once again.

The Josh Kline signing did and still does reek of desperation.

[Beef Supreme]

One interesting point of not on the cap space we cleared with this deal.

In my opinion, it now allows us to walk away from Treadwell if he doesn’t make the team on merit.

His ~$3M salary is guaranteed this year whether he’s on the team or not. With only $600K of space, if we cut him, we’d have to pay the guy who took his spot pretty much all of our remaining cap and would have no option should a decent WR3 be a camp cut somewhere else.

Now, if we cut him, we have ~$4M to spend on his replacement and if it’s just an in-house cheap guy (Beebe, Zylstra, Badet, etc.), he doesn’t take up all our remaining space.

So keeping Rudy at this restructured deal may help us upgrade our WR depth if the lights don’t turn on for Treadwell.

[twgerber]

Any deal where the team makes a commitment to Rudolph longer than this season is not team friendly. They're potentially giving up flexibility for more cash to spend on a roster that's basically set for 2019. They made the deal to placate a disgruntled player. It wasn't done with the team's best interest in mind. It was done as a way to keep everyone on track to try to win the Super Bowl this year. If they win it, great! The mess that we'll have to start cleaning up in 2020 will be worth it. If they fail, this is just another bloated contract that could become an issue.

I think the deal is very team friendly. No guaranteed money after this year. Perfect.

If Smith takes off this year they can let Rudolph go.

If he doesn't they have a security blanket for 2020.

Rudolph has been top 10 for several years now. I see no issue with this set up on his contract. I trust how the Vikings negotiate deals to not overly handicap the team.

What you're saying is incorrect. Rudolph's previous contract was team friendly. He plays here in 2019, then both sides can reevaluate.

This new contract hooks the team for an additional year if he gets injured. And it guarantees him a Top 5 TE salary if the team doesn't cut him in 2020. It's another unnecessary bloated contract that the Vikings have been handing out like candy.

How do you figure top 5 TE money? Overthecap shows him at #9.

And 2020 is only for injury. Those rarely trigger so not too worried about that.

[mancini199]

why do all the rudolph backers claim he is some sort of red zone threat.....he has 41 tds in 8 years hardly a big time td guy....His production could be accomplished by most tight ends given his targets and playing time...very average player

[hategreenticemase]

After the completion of Kyle Rudolph’s four-year contract extension, the Vikings bought themselves some breathing room under the salary cap for the 2019 league year. They’ve now got $4,686,926 under the cap, having created $4.075 million of cap space with Rudolph’s new deal.

Their 2020 cap situation, which was tenuous before signing Rudolph, will still require some work between now and next spring.

According to sources with access to NFL Players Association salary data, Rudolph received a $7.25 million signing bonus, and retains the ability to make up to $250,000 in per-game roster bonuses and $100,000 in offseason workout bonuses in each year of the deal. His annual base salaries and cap numbers are as follows:

2019: $1.75 million base (fully guaranteed)/$3.55 million cap number

2020: $7.025 million base (guaranteed for injury)/$8.825 million cap number

2021: $7.65 million/$9.45 million

2022: $8.45 million/$10.25 million

2023: $9.85 million/$11.65 million

The Vikings would incur $5.8 million in dead money charges — against $3.025 million in cap savings — if they released Rudolph before 2020, so the team might look at the deal as a two-year proposition before it would make much sense to get out of it. It’s not believed that Rudolph’s $7.025 million base salary in 2020 — which is currently guaranteed against injury only — becomes fully guaranteed before next season, so if Rudolph stays healthy, the team could always think about releasing him with a post-June 1 designation, which would allow them to push $4.35 million of dead money charges into 2021, when Kirk Cousins will either have a new contract or the team will have a new quarterback.

As it stands now, though, the Vikings are carrying $211.638 million worth of cap charges into 2020. Even if they’re able to carry over some of their remaining cap space into next season, and the NFL salary cap spikes to $200 million, they’ll again need to clear space to be able to do much in free agency and sign draft picks.

Veterans like Riley Reiff, Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph and Xavier Rhodes — who will all be at least 30 and carry cap numbers of at least $12.9 million in 2020 — could be candidates for release or restructured deals before next season. The Vikings will have decisions to make on cornerbacks Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander, as well as safety Anthony Harris and defensive end Stephen Weatherly, so it’s possible they’ll part with a couple of longtime fixtures in Mike Zimmer’s defense in an effort to keep some of their younger players. Reiff, who turns 31 on Dec. 1, would likely need a better year than he had in 2018 to remain in Minnesota on his current contract. But then again, if the Vikings release him, they’ll have to be confident enough about their options at tackle to move on.

The Vikings’ deft salary cap management under VP of football operations Rob Brzezinski will likely continue into another year of tough decisions. But after an offseason when the Vikings had to restructure contracts of three veterans — Griffen, Rudolph and Eric Kendricks — just to sign Josh Kline, keep Anthony Barr (among others) and sign their draft picks, the set of decisions facing them in 2020 might involve some big names once again.

The Josh Kline signing did and still does reek of desperation.

This. And the wise old HGTM preached and preached and preached about we cannot once afuckinggain "hope" a move pans out. Too good a roster, too dwindling of a window. This was my major beef this offseason - that once and for all, no matter what it takes, solve the fucking debacle of a problem that has literally ruined multiple seasons.

That said, I'm choosing to believe, ok hope, ok flat out pray that they did do one thing successfully that I begged them to do - hire best OL guru in the world. My hope is these two guys are just that and truly can see a diamond in rough in a guy like Kline and more importantly, can develop it.

It's all I have left to hold onto and that's what I'm doing.

[mlhouse]

why do all the rudolph backers claim he is some sort of red zone threat.....he has 41 tds in 8 years hardly a big time td guy....His production could be accomplished by most tight ends given his targets and playing time...very average player

Ill take average.

[mlhouse]

The Josh Kline signing did and still does reek of desperation.

Maybe, maybe not. If you look at it relative to some of the other contracts being signed it has a whiff of a bad odor but not reeking.

The piece of Kline's contract I don't like is that $1.8 million of his 2020 salary is guaranteed. That was the desperation part.

The REAL critical piece in evaluating these contracts is the amount that is guaranteed at signing. The Kline deal is not terrible and the Rudolph deal is pretty good when evaluated from that perspective.