Jacksonville Jaguars must avoid these 3 over-the-hill FA tight ends

Kyle Rudolph wouldn’t add much to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Although Kyle Rudolph was never a top-echelon tight end, he was a key cog on the Minnesota Vikings’ offense over his ten-year tenure in Minneapolis. While he never had a 1,000-yard receiving season, he was among the Vikes’ most consistent contributors, hauling in 453 receptions for 4,488 yards and 48 touchdowns in that span.

The Vikings announced they terminated the four-year $36 contract Rudolph signed in 2019 after registering just 28 receptions for 334 yards and one touchdown last season. Keeping the Notre Dame product didn’t make much financial sense and releasing him freed up around $5 million in cap space.

There will probably be a market for Rudolph this offseason. After all, teams are looking for offensive weapons that can generate mismatches on the field. However, the Jaguars should refrain from pursuing him. He has averaged 9.9 yards per catch throughout his career and wasn’t particularly known as a deep that in his prime.

There will be younger more productive options in the open market and if Jacksonville wants to make a significant investment in the tight end position, they should sign Smith or Hunter. On the other hand, if they want to bring in a veteran, they may be better off with Jared Cook.