Hale Hentges

In what might be Kyle Rudolph’s last season with the Vikings, the tight end will not be able to play in Week 17.

Minnesota announced on Tuesday that it placed Rudolph on IR. The Vikings still have Irv Smith Jr., Tyler Conklin and Hale Hentges at the tight end position, barring any of those three suffering injuries.

With Smith coming on as the team's top TE target, Rudolph may be out in 2021. Smith had a huge game on Christmas Day, posting a 6-53-2 line. For the season he has 28 catches for 335 yards and five TDs, but three of those TDs and 153 yards have come over the last three weeks.