5 Minnesota Vikings who likely won’t be back in 2021

At first blush, the four-year, $36 million contract extension Rudolph signed with the Vikings in June of 2019 might look prohibitive for the team even now. But the fully guaranteed salary expires after this year.

Cutting Rudolph would divide his $9.45 million 2021 cap hit between dead money ($4.35 million) and cap savings ($5.1 million). Designating him as a post-June 1 cut shifts that to $8 million in cleared cap space (according to Over The Cap).

Rudolph has missed the last three games (entering Week 17) with a foot injury. Irv Smith Jr. has topped 50 yards and scored in two of those, clearing an 80 percent snap share in the last two. Tyler Conklin has played at least 57 percent of the snaps in five straight games now, overlapping absences from Smith and Rudolph, and he has 12 catches on 15 targets over the last three.

Rudolph may willingly take a significant pay cut to stay with the Vikings, and it’s safe to say he’s well-liked top-to-bottom in the organization. But this will be a business, talent-level and roster makeup decision rolled into one when it comes down to it. If only to clear the runway for Smith to have a breakout in 2021, the Vikings shouldn’t have too hard a time saying goodbye to Rudolph.