New England Patriots: 3 solutions at tight end post NFL Draft
Solution 1: Trade for Minnesota Vikings Kyle Rudolph
One of the easiest ways to improve upon a position is seemingly to trade for someone who has been consistently good at the position throughout his career.
This doesn’t have a 100 percent success rate, but all odds are increased by the wizardry powers of Bill Belichick.
Last Friday night, in round 2 of the NFL Draft, the Vikings selected Alabama tight end Irv Smith Jr.
Smith was the third tight end taken in the draft (first not from the University of Iowa) and even regarded as a possible first-round pick. Vikings GM Rick Spielman clearly did this with reason, as there were other positions of higher “need” for Minnesota.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
From that moment on, it has appeared Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph’s time in the purple and gold are numbered.
Now, Rudolph’s agent cited the Vikings drafting tight ends multiple times throughout the last few seasons, and that there is nothing to worry about by the recent selection. What he failed to realize was, those were all after the fourth round and tended to be primarily blockers.
An ESPN report also disagrees, as they said the Vikings were fielding calls about Rudolph during and after the draft.
Rudolph is 29 years old, and clearly has a good amount left in the tank. He may not have the pure athleticism that he once had, but he is still a suitable tight end. The main issue with Rudolph is that for someone with his stature, he is not very good at blocking.
New England loves blocking tight ends, and there was a noticeable difference in run game production for the Vikings when Kyle Rudolph was on and off the field. Belichick, of course, gets the best from his players, so potentially he could improve this aspect of Rudolph’s game.
All and all, he is a top 10 tight end in the league, and would only improve the team by giving Tom Brady another reliable player to throw the ball too.