Worst of bad NFL contracts: The overpaid and underachieving

30 Minnesota Vikings: Kyle Rudolph, TE

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5 years, $36.5 million, $18.5 million guaranteed
On a team with few bad contracts, this one gets the nod. When Rudolph signed this deal back in 2014, it made him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL. Rudolph plays well but is not a top-line player. The Vikings should have gotten a better deal.

@"purplefaithful" said:

30 Minnesota Vikings: Kyle Rudolph, TE

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5 years, $36.5 million, $18.5 million guaranteed On a team with few bad contracts, this one gets the nod. When Rudolph signed this deal back in 2014, it made him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL. Rudolph plays well but is not a top-line player. The Vikings should have gotten a better deal.

but how many of those top paid TEs actually can play a true TE position?  or are they just over sized under speed WR that sometimes line up with a hand down?  Rudys blocking wont make anybody forget Kleinsasser,   but he has come a long way at that job and his hands are about as reliable as anybodies.  he doesnt put up the big numbers,  but in an offense with Diggs and Theilen and their wasnt as many pass plays to go around for the rest.  I will be curious to see how he does with Cousins who spreads it around more and likes to use his TEs.  I dont think the ultra conservative Bradford or Keenum did Rudolph many favors by trying to hit that TE seam up the middle very often.

This is something I heard discussed on KFAN this morning.  Some like to dog Rick about hitting on players,  but in terms of giving out contracts to players that work out, the Vikings are near the top of the league.   of that 3 million Jarius Wright is about 2/3 of that,  and its only 4 or 5 total players making up the remaining million or less.

https://overthecap.com/salary-cap-space/

Team	Cap  Space	Effective Cap  Space ℹ️	#	Active  Cap Spending	Dead  Money
Buccaneers	$14,385,757	$14,385,757	90	$179,283,893	$815,506
Bengals	$14,953,558	$14,953,558	91	$172,072,628	$1,299,032
Colts	$52,050,050	$52,050,050	91	$138,908,904	$1,953,636
Broncos	$9,728,434	$9,728,434	91	$176,315,958	$2,481,548
Vikings	$17,322,176	$17,322,176	91	$169,731,239	$2,988,150
Titans	$34,927,463	$34,927,463	90	$170,122,784	$3,052,247
Raiders	$2,262,410	$2,262,410	89	$175,800,231	$3,787,931
Patriots	$12,290,724	$12,290,724	91	$163,301,279	$4,018,586
Jaguars	$20,073,787	$20,073,787	92	$186,570,930	$4,109,949
Chargers	$8,999,407	$8,999,407	90	$165,265,950	$4,844,370
Texans	$29,308,440	$29,308,440	91	$157,364,385	$5,052,738
Redskins	$13,471,198	$13,471,198	91	$160,040,783	$5,292,582
Steelers	$5,483,820	$5,483,820	94	$169,566,436	$5,818,595
Falcons	$6,712,521	$6,712,521	89	$163,419,447	$5,886,990
Packers	$10,954,597	$10,954,597	90	$165,536,381	$8,043,090
Lions	$9,322,857	$9,322,857	91	$163,780,434	$8,174,775
Panthers	$5,545,773	$5,545,773	92	$169,165,791	$8,788,302
Ravens	$9,466,417	$9,466,417	94	$157,279,465	$9,120,968
Eagles	$5,910,699	$5,910,699	91	$162,503,735	$9,578,275
Bears	$26,127,980	$26,127,980	91	$146,841,089	$11,974,346
Rams	$2,204,948	$2,204,948	88	$164,524,168	$12,366,045
Seahawks	$11,003,563	$11,003,563	90	$152,189,981	$14,422,215
Jets	$20,291,024	$20,291,024	91	$158,180,785	$14,854,544
Dolphins	$14,106,698	$14,106,698	89	$147,673,869	$14,998,910
Saints	$4,179,083	$4,179,083	91	$154,977,686	$16,076,606
49ers	$45,013,807	$45,013,807	90	$175,972,251	$16,163,210
Chiefs	$7,513,149	$7,513,149	91	$153,783,075	$16,745,931
Browns	$70,620,218	$70,620,218	91	$152,793,578	$17,230,330
Cardinals	$14,956,212	$14,956,212	90	$142,792,436	$20,328,313
Giants	$7,288,664	$7,288,664	91	$149,025,888	$21,115,319
Cowboys	$14,814,673	$14,814,673	91	$144,104,921	$26,361,762
Bills	$15,542,085	$15,542,085	89	$125,572,643	$46,708,943

The thing that has always bothered me about Rudy, is he can't break a tackle.  Even going back to his Notre Dame days, if he gets touched he is going down.  With a guy his size I would expect him to fight for yardage. Outside of that though, the thought "Man we pay Rudy too much" hasn't really crossed my mind.

Pretty impressive that Rudolph is our worst contract. A $7M per payout to a 2X pro bowler with 20 TDs the last 3 years. A guy who had an injury reputation early has quietly put together three straight 16-game seasons. If that's our worst contract, we're doing something right. 

@"El_Padre" said: The thing that has always bothered me about Rudy, is he can't break a tackle.  Even going back to his Notre Dame days, if he gets touched he is going down.  With a guy his size I would expect him to fight for yardage. Outside of that though, the thought "Man we pay Rudy too much" hasn't really crossed my mind.

Yes, he isn't elusive and does go down pretty easy.  I just attribute it to being lanky.  He has long legs and they make a good target IMO.

But yes, if that is our "bad" contract, we are doing quite well.

It's hard to say that we're great at contracts, when we've actively jettisoned so much of our dead weight contracts and most of our players are still on their rookie contracts or are so new we don't see the downsides yet.  I think if you would have did this not too long ago it wouldn't have been so pretty.  I'm looking at our OLine of a couple years ago that was one of the highest paid, but worst performing units in the league.  Or paying Bradford $40M for one season of service.  That said we're still in the top chunk of the league, but I think most of that is that we're good at coaching and getting the most out of guys and that makes any value equation look better.

@"medaille" said: It's hard to say that we're great at contracts, when we've actively jettisoned so much of our dead weight contracts and most of our players are still on their rookie contracts or are so new we don't see the downsides yet.  I think if you would have did this not too long ago it wouldn't have been so pretty.  I'm looking at our OLine of a couple years ago that was one of the highest paid, but worst performing units in the league.  Or paying Bradford $40M for one season of service.  That said we're still in the top chunk of the league, but I think most of that is that we're good at coaching and getting the most out of guys and that makes any value equation look better.

great roster and very little dead money... IMO that means you are hitting on the guys you keep around and not getting hung by your misses... that IMO is pretty good work on identifying players and values.

@"MaroonBells" said: Pretty impressive that Rudolph is our worst contract. A $7M per payout to a 2X pro bowler with 20 TDs the last 3 years. A guy who had an injury reputation early has quietly put together three straight 16-game seasons. If that's our worst contract, we're doing something right. 

Well said, MB! :)

I remember Jimmy K tripping-up on what appeared to be a blade of grass more than once lol! That said, he was like having another OT out there in the run game. 

Agree, if Rudy is our "worst contract" than trader Rick is doing ok.

Looking forward, I see a # of Vikings that will need to take a contract re-do in order to stay. Rudolph is probably on that list. 

A few ex-Vikes make the list of bad contracts led by the 49'ers deal with McKinnon.  Giants with Ellison and the Panthers with Kalil make the list.

@"minny65" said: A few ex-Vikes make the list of bad contracts led by the 49'ers deal with McKinnon.  Giants with Ellison and the Panthers with Kalil make the list.

Ellison's dad disagrees vehemently.

@"minny65" said: A few ex-Vikes make the list of bad contracts led by the 49'ers deal with McKinnon.  Giants with Ellison and the Panthers with Kalil make the list.

Its a bit early to say Jets deal is bad,  but ellison and kalil are perfect examples of Rick knowing when to fold em.

@"minny65" said: A few ex-Vikes make the list of bad contracts led by the 49'ers deal with McKinnon.  Giants with Ellison and the Panthers with Kalil make the list.

McKinnon's getting a lotta RB1 love on some fantasy sites I see. One has him as high as number 11 overall. He should do well in Shanahan's offense, but that's just nuts. 

@"JimmyinSD" said: This is something I heard discussed on KFAN this morning.  Some like to dog Rick about hitting on players,  but in terms of giving out contracts to players that work out, the Vikings are near the top of the league.   of that 3 million Jarius Wright is about 2/3 of that,  and its only 4 or 5 total players making up the remaining million or less.

https://overthecap.com/salary-cap-space/

Team	Cap  Space	Effective Cap  Space ℹ️	#	Active  Cap Spending	Dead  Money
Buccaneers	$14,385,757	$14,385,757	90	$179,283,893	$815,506
Bengals	$14,953,558	$14,953,558	91	$172,072,628	$1,299,032
Colts	$52,050,050	$52,050,050	91	$138,908,904	$1,953,636
Broncos	$9,728,434	$9,728,434	91	$176,315,958	$2,481,548
Vikings	$17,322,176	$17,322,176	91	$169,731,239	$2,988,150

It's easy to limit your dead money when you're losing. It's worth mentioning that the teams ahead of the Vikings on this list went 5-11, 4-12, 7-9 and 5-11 in 2017. Vikings went 13-3. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"minny65" said: A few ex-Vikes make the list of bad contracts led by the 49'ers deal with McKinnon.  Giants with Ellison and the Panthers with Kalil make the list.

Its a bit early to say Jets deal is bad,  but ellison and kalil are perfect examples of Rick knowing when to fold em.

@"minny65" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"minny65" said: A few ex-Vikes make the list of bad contracts led by the 49'ers deal with McKinnon.  Giants with Ellison and the Panthers with Kalil make the list.

Its a bit early to say Jets deal is bad,  but ellison and kalil are perfect examples of Rick knowing when to fold em.

I disagree, Jets Cap hit is 10.5 million this year which is the second highest for a RB in the NFL behind Leveon Bell which is insane for a guy that has never carried the load.  Now his average salary is around 7.5 for the 4 years which is 4th ranked right now behind Bell, Freeman and McCoy. 

Happy we were never in the ball park to resign a situation player.  The 49'ers see something I never saw with the Vikings.   

@"minny65" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"minny65" said: A few ex-Vikes make the list of bad contracts led by the 49'ers deal with McKinnon.  Giants with Ellison and the Panthers with Kalil make the list.

Its a bit early to say Jets deal is bad,  but ellison and kalil are perfect examples of Rick knowing when to fold em.

I disagree, Jets Cap hit is 10.5 million this year which is the second highest for a RB in the NFL behind Leveon Bell which is insane for a guy that has never carried the load.  Now his average salary is around 7.5 for the 4 years which is 4th ranked right now behind Bell, Freeman and McCoy. 

Happy we were never in the ball park to resign a situation player.  The 49'ers see something I never saw with the Vikings.   

Again, happy the Vikings didn't entertain anywhere near those numbers for McKinnon.  

@"minny65" said: Again, happy the Vikings didn't entertain anywhere near those numbers for McKinnon.  

with Cook and Murray already under contract I can appreciate that,  but for a team with no real running back in San Fran a swiss army type back is a pretty nice piece for a green QB that is getting his feet wet,  garp has been around a while,  but really hasnt seen a lot of live fire,  that reliable safety valve that has shown the ability and willingness to pass block when necessary is a good piece for them as long as they keep moving him around and of course they need a thunder type to go with his lightning.