Could the Atlanta Falcons be a landing spot for Kyle Rudolph?
On Wednesday morning, it was announced that the New York Giants released veteran tight end, Kyle Rudolph. A player who would look great in an Atlanta Falcons uniform
In the Twitter post from Adam Schefter announcing his release, Schefter notes that Rudolph isn’t done with football yet.
Tight end Kyle Rudolph, whom the Giants have cut, texted this morning that he is not retiring and he does intend to continue playing.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 2, 2022
Rudolph posted a heartfelt message on his social media pages, noting that he’s “looking forward to what’s next,” in his post’s Twitter thread.
.@Giants Fans thanks for taking me and my family in this past year! Certainly not the year any of us expected, but a year we will never forget.. We're appreciative of the Mara and Tisch Families for giving us the opportunity to be a Giant. pic.twitter.com/HSZzGGTXRI
— Kyle Rudolph (@KyleRudolph) March 2, 2022
With the retirement of Lee Smith and the potential departure of Hayden Hurst in free agency, the Atlanta Falcons will be on the market for tight ends to bolster their depth behind Kyle Pitts.
After ten seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, the two-time Pro Bowler signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the New York Giants on March 24, 2021.
Despite his contract being restructured in December to free up cap space, the Giants chose to release Rudolph after just one season. Rudolph’s release freed up $5 million of cap space for New York.
With the Giants, Rudolph played in 16 games and started 13 of those games. Rudolph racked up 257 yards on 26 receptions, catching just one touchdown.
While the 32-year old is past his prime, being in Rudolph on a cheaper contract with the purpose of being a big red zone target could prove to be a beneficial move for the Atlanta Falcons.
One thing to note for the Giants is the inconsistency of quarterback play, with injury to Daniel Jones and questionable backup play plagued their offense. The Giants ended the season ranked 30th in passing touchdowns per game, leading just the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars.
However, there’s one glaring caveat to Rudolph.
Clearly, he’s way past his prime. He’s not the guy who racked up 840 yards anymore. In fact, he’s three seasons removed from his last time with over 400 yards.
If any team makes a move for the veteran tight end, it would be to serve as a big target in the end zone. With the NFL Draft inching closer, there are plenty of young tight ends who could be late-round draft steals.
All in all, unless Rudolph could somehow sign to a cheap contract, there are many other options to pursue. However, on the right contact, it might be worth it for the Falcons to take a look at Rudolph to not just serve as an end zone target, but help mentor Pitts and any other young tight end that may make their way to the Falcons.
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