Contract negotiations between Rudolph and the Vikings have stalled and were tabled Friday, Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

When the Vikings drafted Irv Smith in the second round of the draft, it was originally thought that Minnesota was likely to move on from Rudolph. There was then some belief that offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski - who frequently uses two-tight end sets - could find a way to use both tight ends effectively, since they both possess unique skill sets. This report of tabled contract negotiations supports the original claim that the Vikings are prepared to move on from the Notre Dame product if need be. It seems that Rudolph can either take a discount to stay in Minnesota or roll the dice via being traded or released by the Vikings - the problem stems from the fact that the team has the least amount of salary cap space ($765,473) in the league. At this point, Rudolph's fantasy value would likely have a higher ceiling if he found another offense where he could be the primary tight end and red-zone target.