The Vikings drafted Kyle Rudolph in the 2^nd round in 2011 and paired him with soon to be free agent Visanthe Shiancoe at tight end. As a rookie, Rudolph caught 26 passes for 249 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Shiancoe had 36 catches for 409 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Vikings showed very little interest in retaining Shiancoe as a free agent so it appeared Rudolph would take over as the every down tight end in 2012 and rightfully so.

Oh, but what’s this, they signed John Carlson. Okay, that makes some sense. Carlson can come in on two-tight end sets as he tries to prove himself after getting benched and injured in Seattle last season. Plus I bet he was cheap and the Vikings didn’t do anything like…PAY HIM 25 MILLION DOLLARS OVER 5 YEARS WITH 11 MILLION GUARANTEED. For John Carlson?!?!?! The same John Carlson who missed all of last season with injury after getting benched for Zach Miller and putting up 31 catches for 318 yards and 1 touchdowns in 2010 as his team’s primary pass catcher. Sure he had 55 catches and 51 catches in 2008 and 2009, but that was 2008 and 2009. There’s no way in hell anyone else would give him this kind of money and if there was a team willing to do so, let them have him. It’s John Carlson.

Grade: F