The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday the release of Kyle Rudolph from the Pro Bowl. While the 49ers will not have a lot of money to play with in the free agency, Rudolph is the type of player to whom he could allocate some of his resources.
Last season in San Francisco he watched free agent TE Austin Hooper before signing what was then the most expensive restricted completion contract ever with the Cleveland Browns. If I’m still looking for a captivating TE option to mate with George Kittle, Rudolph makes a lot of sense.
At the age of 31, Rudolph’s days as his main weapon are probably behind him. However, until last year, when he caught only one, he was still an effective touchdown scorer. In the previous five years, he averaged six touchdown catchers per season.
The former second-round pick is another weapon in the red zone, which is clever enough to be open and physical enough to defeat defenders on contested throws. The ability to connect it as a bypass sensor would be a significant upgrade for San Francisco from Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner, who block TEs in the first place.
San Francisco shouldn’t be willing to break Rudolph’s bench, and if a team offers him starting money, the 49ers will run out. On the other hand, if his market comes to something they can afford, the 49ers should absolutely aim to bring in the Pro Bowler twice.