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Cleveland Browns: 3 players with links to Kevin Stefanski worth trading for

By Matthew McFatridge

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 05: Kyle Rudolph #82 of the Minnesota Vikings makes the game-winning touchdown reception against P.J. Williams #26 of the New Orleans Saints during overtime in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 05, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 05: Kyle Rudolph #82 of the Minnesota Vikings makes the game-winning touchdown reception against P.J. Williams #26 of the New Orleans Saints during overtime in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 05, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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CARSON, CA – DECEMBER 15: Tight end Kyle Rudolph #82 of the Minnesota Vikings catches a pass before he is stopped by cornerback Michael Davis #43 of the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half of the game at Dignity Health Sports Park on December 15, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA – DECEMBER 15: Tight end Kyle Rudolph #82 of the Minnesota Vikings catches a pass before he is stopped by cornerback Michael Davis #43 of the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half of the game at Dignity Health Sports Park on December 15, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

3. Kyle Rudolph, TE

The Minnesota Vikings are in cap trouble heading into the 2020 season and need to find a way to get under the spending limit — especially if they want to re-sign and of the players coming to an end of their current deals. If they want to keep pace in the NFC North, making hard decisions and moving on from some big-time players is going to likely have to happen.

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That’s what makes Kyle Rudolph a viable trade target for the Cleveland Browns. The Browns need a tight end badly, and the nearly $10 million cap hit Rudolph’s contract has could be something the Vikings see as expendable.

Although he just signed a four-year extension with the team this past offseason, and caught the game-winning touchdown pass in Minnesota’s overtime win against the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card round, clearing that cap space may be more important for Zimmer and the Vikings.

As for the Browns, they would immediately get someone at the tight end position who is a dual-threat in blocking and receiving, something they’ve looked for in a tight end for a long time. With the injury concerns of David Njoku, and the pending free agency of Ricky Seals-Jones, there isn’t a reliable tight end on the Browns roster for Baker Mayfield to rely on in the middle of the field.

The Browns could also then focus their draft on improving other areas of concern on the roster, and push the need to draft a tight end down the road for at least a few more years.

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