Kyle Rudolph isn’t going anywhere. We heard earlier today that the Vikings had asked Rudolph to take a pay-cut, but his management team is pushing back forcefully on those rumors. Rudolph’s agent, Brian Murphy, released a statement saying “despite rumors, Vikings are not in negotiations with Kyle Rudolph, have not asked him to take a pay reduction and have told us explicitly that Rudy will not only be on the team this year, but hopefully for years to come,” via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
It’s a strong statement, and it doesn’t leave much room for doubt. Rudolph is scheduled to make $7.275MM next season and the Vikings have almost no salary cap space, but they’ll apparently have to create room somewhere else. Rudolph has spent the last eight seasons in Minnesota after the Vikings took him in the second round of the 2011 draft. He hasn’t been in the top-tier of tight ends, but he’s been a solid and consistent player, and he made the Pro Bowl in 2017. Rudolph has also been very durable recently, appearing in all 16 games in four straight years.
Here’s more from around the league’s northern divisions:
- Greg Robinson signed a one-year deal to return to the Browns a couple of weeks ago, and now we have the details on the contract. Interestingly, his new pact includes $500K in weigh-in bonuses, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Robinson will have weigh-ins around once a month starting in April all the way through the regular season, which suggests Cleveland wasn’t too happy with the weight he played at last year. Robinson’s deal has a base salary of $5.5MM with a $500K signing bonus, $400K in per-game roster bonuses, and a $100K workout bonus. He could face competition from a rookie, but right now the former second overall pick projects as the team’s starting left tackle.
- Speaking of the Browns, the status of receiver Breshad Perriman is still up in the air. The former first round pick and draft bust with the Ravens revitalized his career in Cleveland last year, but is now set to be an unrestricted free agent. The “two sides aren’t close” on a deal, but Perriman “wants to be back, and realizes that Baker Mayfield helped him resuscitate his career,” according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Kay Cabot writes that Perriman’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, “wants to let the market” set the price for the 25-year-old receiver. After joining the Browns mid-season, Perriman had 233 yards and two touchdowns the final four weeks of the year.
- The Packers have reportedly expressed interest in Chiefs pass-rusher Dee Ford. But trading for Ford, who has been franchise-tagged by Kansas City, may prove difficult for Green Bay. Any team that trades for Ford is likely to try and sign him to a longterm deal, but the Packers don’t usually like longterm deals with a ton of guaranteed money and prefer to structure deals with large signing bonuses instead, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). That could be a problem because as Rapoport points out, Ford has the same agent as Le’Veon Bell, and the agent takes a very strong stance on the need for more guaranteed money in deals. None of this means the Packers won’t be able to trade for Ford, but it’s an interesting note nonetheless, and it could force them to turn their focus elsewhere as they look for pass-rushing help.
I understand, for cap purposes, why teams like big signing bonuses vs the same amount of $ guaranteed over the course of a contract, but AB just showed all the players the trick to that. Get as much $ in a signing bonus as possible, and then the next year make your self as big a public spectacle as possible, thus forcing them to trade you wherever anyone agrees to give you another huge signing bonus or more guaranteed $. If other organizations are half as stupid as Pitts they will fold and get nothing in return for their best players. In the next CBA, you are going to see a lot more guaranteed $ contracts and much, much fewer big signing bonuses.
Great insight!
The only player the Vikings should ask to take a pay cut is Cousins, he and the GM are the main reason they have no cap room… imagine that discussion “We know we gave a stupid huge contract to an average QB and have no cap room because of it but can you take a pay cut?”
Not sure Cousins earned his paycheck Nor do I think Barr, Griffen, Remmers, Compton or any other OL members did including Rudy !!
Instead of trading for Ford, why not just sign Justin Houston. He will come with a shorter deal, and more flexibility, as well as not having to give up draft pick(s) to make a deal. Just smart business.
age. and the fact that Houston is more likely past his prime… makes ford the better option…depending on price certainly… but Houston will not be a game changer…. ford might be
I’d let Rudolph walk. Him and that coocko for cocoa puffs DE Griffin. Barr also.
Agree, Just by letting those three walk the Vikes would have $$$$$ to sign a few Free agents ..