The Giants made several splashes in free agency this offseason, adding players on both sides of the ball to be key contributors in 2021.
One of these players is veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph.
Rudolph, 31, had spent his entire career with the Vikings before signing with the Giants in March. He caught 453 passes for 4,488 yards and 48 touchdowns across 10 seasons in Minnesota, while playing in all 16 games six times. His 48 career touchdowns are tied with Travis Kelce for the third-most among active tight ends, trailing only Rob Gronkowski (86) and Jimmy Graham (82).
The 6-foot-6, 265-pound tight end recently joined the Giants Huddle podcast to discuss his excitement about joining Big Blue.
"For me, quite honestly, after spending 10 years in one place, I feel like a rookie all over again," Rudolph said. "I'm learning my way around the building, learning new names, learning new faces. Not just teammates but coaches, staff, cafeteria, everyone in the building is new to me. I'm trying to learn names and faces…
"It's been fun. It's exciting for me to be here in the building, to be around my teammates, be around my coaches. I'm not able to do a whole lot on the field, but it's been huge for me mentally to be able to be in the classroom and try to pick up this system as quickly as possible."
Rudolph joins a crowded tight end room with the Giants.
Big Blue has seven tight ends listed on the 90-man roster, and that number grows to eight when you include converted wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. It may be the largest crowd the veteran has been a part of during his NFL career, but Rudolph can identify the various skillsets.
"It's certainly the biggest room I've been in," said Rudolph. "I've never been in a room with more than six guys. You look around the room and each and every guy brings something really special to our group, something that they can help this football team win games."
Sitting alongside Rudolph at the head of the depth chart is Evan Engram, who is now entering his fifth season with the Giants.
Engram, 26, is coming off his first Pro Bowl season. He finished the 2020 campaign with 63 receptions for 654 yards and a touchdown (and ran for a TD), while playing in all 16 games for the first time in his career.
Engram and Rudolph have only been teammates for a few months now, with the latter unable to get on the field following foot surgery earlier this offseason. However, Engram can already see that he will be able to absorb plenty from the former Viking, both on and off the field.
"I'm going to learn so much from him," Engram said about Rudolph. "He's another detail-oriented guy. Real savvy, knows the game, knows how to talk about the game so that guys can understand, guys can learn and they can apply it. Haven't been able to get on the field with him yet, but in the meeting room, it's been a huge help for me and even the other guys in the room. I can't wait to continue to grow a relationship, be his teammate and go to war with him."
Joining those two in the tight end room are returning players Kaden Smith and Levine Toilolo, who accompanied Engram and Rudolph to Tight End University last week. In addition, Rysen John and Nakia Griffin-Stewart are returning after spending part of the 2020 season on the team's practice squad. Both were signed to reserve/future contracts in January.
Rounding out the group are newcomers Cole Hikutini, who spent the last two seasons on the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad and has experience with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, and Benjamin, who last appeared in the NFL as a wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018.
Rudolph is confident that this deep group of tight ends will be able to contribute in every way possible.
"It's our goal and the objective in this tight end room to help this team score points," Rudolph explained. "The tight end position is one that can contribute in various different ways - in the run game, in pass protection, and then certainly out in the field and in the red zone, being the one catching the ball and scoring points. Like I mentioned before, when you look around our room, you see eight guys that all can contribute to this team and help our team win football games."
With training camp here, view photos of every move made by the Giants this offseason.


DT Leonard Williams - Signed to three-year contract

WR Kenny Golladay - Free Agent Signing

CB Adoree' Jackson - Free Agent Signing

TE Kyle Rudolph - Free Agent Signing

WR John Ross - Free Agent Signing

DT Danny Shelton - Free Agent Signing

LB Reggie Ragland - Free Agent Signing

DE Ifeadi Odenigbo - Free Agent Signing

WR Kadarius Toney - Selected with 20th pick in 2021 NFL Draft

WR Kadarius Toney - Selection List Signing

LB Azeez Ojulari - Selected with 50th pick in 2021 NFL Draft

LB Azeez Ojulari - Selection List Signing

CB Aaron Robinson - Selected with 71st pick in 2021 NFL Draft

CB Aaron Robinson - Selection List Signing

LB Elerson Smith - Selected with 116th pick in 2021 NFL Draft

LB Elerson Smith - Selection List Signing

RB Gary Brightwell - Selected with 196th pick in 2021 NFL Draft

RB Gary Brightwell - Selection List Signing

CB Rodarius WIlliams - Selected with 201st pick in 2021 NFL Draft

CB Rodarius Williams - Selection List Signing

RB Saquon Barkley - Fifth-year option picked up

RB Devontae Booker - Free Agent Signing

QB Mike Glennon - Free Agent Signing

OLB Ryan Anderson - Free Agent Signing

OL Zach Fulton - Free Agent Signing

OL Jonotthan Harrison - Free Agent Signing

OL Joe Looney - Free Agent Signing

WR Damion Willis - Free Agent Signing

RB Corey Clement - Free Agent Signing

C Brett Heggie - Undrafted Free Agent Signing

G Jake Burton - Undrafted Free Agent Signing

DE Raymond Johnson - Undrafted Free Agent Signing

DT Austin Johnson - Signed to new contract with Giants

WR C.J. Board

LS Casey Kreiter - Signed to new contract with Giants

LB Devante Downs - Free Agent Signing

FB Cullen Gillaspia - Free Agent Signing

DB Joshua Kalu - Free Agent Signing

TE Cole Hikutini - Free Agent Signing

DB Chris Milton

RB Mike Weber - Free Agent Signing

DB Jordyn Peters - Free Agent Signing

WR Alex Bachman - Signed to a reserve/future deal

LB Trent Harris - Signed to a reserve/future deal

DB Montre Hartage - Signed to a reserve/future deal

TE Rysen John - Signed to a reserve/future deal

DT David Moa - Signed to a reserve/future deal

G Chad Slade - Signed to a reserve/future deal

QB Clayton Thorson - Signed to a reserve/future deal

LS Carson Tinker - Signed to a reserve/future deal

G Kenny Wiggins - Signed to a reserve/future deal

DB Jarren Williams - Signed to a reserve/future deal

DB Quincy Wilson - Signed to a reserve/future deal

OT Jackson Barton - Signed, Renegotiated Contract: Exclusive Rights

DB Madre Harper - Signed, Renegotiated Contract: Exclusive Rights

WR Derrick Dillon - Signed to a reserve/future deal

WR David Sills - Signed, Renegotiated Contract: Exclusive Rights

TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart - Signed to a reserve/future deal

LB Cale Garrett - Signed to a reserve/future deal

P Ryan Santoso - Signed to a reserve/future deal

G Kevin Zeitler - Released

WR Golden Tate - Released

RB Devonta Freeman - Waived, from Reserve/Injured

WR Da'Mari Scott - Waived, No Recall

DB Shakial Taylor - Waived, No Recall

LB David Mayo - Released

WR Cody Core - Released

CB Ryan Lewis - Waived
Added Engram, "I definitely feel like I've improved a lot in the blocking game over the past couple of years. Still a lot more work to be done. Never satisfied, but yeah, that same mentality of we want to be receivers, we want to make plays, we want to get down field, but we're not going to get those opportunities if we don't take care of our business in the run game. The meeting room understands that and I've always understood that. Just being able to be around that mentality is going to help myself and the rest of the guys out a lot."
Rudolph is focusing this offseason on getting himself both healthy and comfortable with the offensive playbook; Engram is always seeking all-around improvement.
"It always goes back to the small things, it always goes back to fundamentals," Engram said. "When there are bad plays, you go look at the tape, look at the film, there is going to be something in there where you didn't do something small, you didn't do something to the full extent to execute the play. There were some plays last year that I didn't do the small things. That was kind of a big assessment of myself in the film and of the season.
"Really every day, hone in on those small technique stuff, whether it's route-running, whether it's securing the ball, securing the catch. Even in blocking, the smallest step can mean the difference. You look at those mistakes and bad plays, you break down the small things and you have to attack and work on those things."
It's hard not to get excited about the potential of the Giants' offense this season, given the upgrades and returnees at the skill positions. Former wide receiver and NFL Network analyst Nate Burleson deemed Big Blue's group of pass catchers as one of the NFL's most intriguing groups heading into the 2021 season. Meanwhile, Bleacher Report recently ranked the Giants as the No. 2 sleeper team of 2021 while citing the additions on offense.
Despite the positive attention the team is receiving from some media outlets, Engram knows that there is still plenty of work to be done for the offense to reach its full potential.
"At the end of the day, the sky is the limit but the work has to be put in," Engram said. "That's what we're focused on right now. We're trying to fine-tune those details, iron out the mistakes and build on the good things as well. That's kind of our main focus right now, is just building the work in, and when the time comes to put the product on the field, we're going to go out there and do our thing."
View photos of the New York Giants' active 53-man roster as it currently stands.


RB Saquon Barkley

RB Devontae Booker

CB James Bradberry

G Ben Bredeson

RB Gary Brightwell

LB Lorenzo Carter

WR Pharoh Cooper

DB Keon Crossen

LB Tae Crowder

OT Korey Cunningham

P Riley Dixon

TE Evan Engram

QB Jake Fromm

K Graham Gano

FB Cullen Gillaspia

QB Mike Glennon

WR Kenny Golladay

G Will Hernandez

DT Austin Johnson

WR Collin Johnson

DL Raymond Johnson III

QB Daniel Jones

LS Casey Kreiter

DL Dexter Lawrence

DB Julian Love

G Wes Martin

LB Benardrick McKinney

S Xavier McKinney

TE Chris Myarick

LB Azeez Ojulari

DB Steven Parker

OT Matt Peart

FB Elijhaa Penny

C Billy Price

LB Reggie Ragland

DB J.R. Reed

LB Quincy Roche

TE Kyle Rudolph

DB Logan Ryan

DT Danny Shelton

WR Sterling Shepard

OL Matt Skura

WR Darius Slayton

LB Elerson G. Smith

OT Nate Solder

OT Andrew Thomas

DT Leonard Williams

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