Report Says Veteran TE Kyle Rudolph Claims He Wants To Play For The Patriots

The Minnesota Vikings have released veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph, which puts another solid player on the free agent market, and one AFC team may already have their sights set on the tight end.

The New England Patriots, who didn't get much production at all from the tight end spot in 2020, could reportedly be in the mix for Rudolph, who has played for the Vikings for his entire NFL career so far.

Known as "Big Country," Rudolph has 453 career catches for 4,488 yards and 48 touchdowns. Last season however, little known Ryan Izzo became the team's leading tight end. Izzo had just 20 catches for 199 yards and no scores.

Rudolph's best season as a pro was in 2016 when he had 83 catches for 840 yards and seven scores. He's made the Pro Bowl twice in his career, 2012 and 2017.

Tight end is one of the positions that the Patriots need as they look ahead to free agency and the 2021 season, so adding Rudolph would be a huge asset for the club.

Right now, the Patriots have at least $63.5 million in cap space, meaning that they could easily sign Rudolph if they so choose.

At 31, there's no doubt that the tight end has gas left in the tank, so if he wants to come to New England, the two sides can likely make it happen - it all depends on the years and money involved.