Bucs Sign Veteran TE Kyle Rudolph to One-Year Deal

New Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Kyle Rudolph (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

After four-time Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski announced his retirement last month, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had to answer for the big loss at the tight end position. Gronk wasn’t the only tight end to leave the Bucs this offseason, as tight end O.J. Howard left the team earlier this offseason to sign a one-year $3.5 million deal with the Buffalo Bills.

In wake of this, the Buccaneers have signed veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph to a one-year deal. Rudolph played with the New York Giants in 2021 after 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. The most notable moment of the two-time pro bowler’s 11-year career was his game-winning touchdown catch from Kirk Cousins in overtime of the Vikings’ huge 2019 Wild Card upset over Drew Brees and the 13-3 New Orleans Saints on the road.

With the return of star wideout Chris Godwin likely coming at some point this season, the Bucs still have many of the offensive pieces necessary to make another potential Super Bowl run, but Cameron Brate and fourth-round rookie Cade Otton as Tampa’s primary reliant tight ends meant they needed more at the position.

While Rudolph isn’t a first-ballot Hall of Famer like Gronk, and he may not be the permanent answer as Gronk’s replacement, he provides more depth and talent at the position that Tampa needs. In six of the past seven years, Kyle Rudolph finished the season with 330 receiving yards and made the playoffs four times with the Minnesota Vikings; showing that he has postseason experience and can effectively contribute to Tom Brady’s offensive weapon group.