The Minnesota Vikings announced the release of Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph on Tuesday. While the 49ers don’t have a lot of money to play with in free agency, Rudolph is the type of player they can allocate some of their resources to.
San Francisco last chased free agent TE Austin Hooper before signing the most expensive contract ever with the Cleveland Browns. If they’re still looking for a TE option to catch pass to mate with George Kittle, Rudolph makes sense.
At the age of 31, Rudolph’s days as a primary weapon are probably behind him. But until last year when he caught just one, he was still an efficient touchdown scorer. For the previous five years, he averaged six touchdown catchers per season.
The former second round pick is still a red zone weapon that is cunning enough to get open and physical enough to take down defenders on disputed throws. Being able to plug him in as a pass catcher would be a major upgrade for San Francisco over Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner, both of whom mainly block TEs.
San Francisco shouldn’t be willing to break the bank for Rudolph, and if a team offers him starting money, the 49ers will be out of the running. On the other hand, if his market is yielding something they can afford, the 49ers should absolutely try to bring in the two-time Pro Bowler.