Giants TE Kyle Rudolph will not miss time following offseason foot surgery

Newly signed Giants tight end Kyle Rudolph didn’t initially sign his deal due to an injury scare that arose in March.

The Giants will have one of their newest offensive additions healthy in time for the 2021 regular season’s commencement.

Speaking to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News this week, veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph noted he “won’t miss any football” after undergoing offseason foot surgery.

“I was extremely fortunate the Giants medical staff was able to find this in March and it isn’t something where I came back here all fired up for OTAs in June and then hurt myself and put myself at risk for missing football games,” he said.

If you can remember, the discovery of Rudolph’s health-related issue initially halted the signing of his two-year, $12 million contract. The 31-year-old, however, eventually inked the deal that will make him a Giant following a decade spent with the Minnesota Vikings.

Employing a healthy Rudolph will be extremely crucial especially when you consider what the Giants are building on the offensive side of the ball.

Entering his third season and still on the path to proving he’s the legitimate long-term answer at quarterback, Daniel Jones will require all the assistance he can get. This means the team needs sheer talent and depth when it comes to the unit of offensive weapons — Rudolph is expected to be critical to this specific group.

Kyle should also greatly complement Evan Engram, who will experience a make-or-break final season of his rookie deal. While Engram is faster and more athletic/versatile (and can essentially be another wideout), Rudolph sports a larger frame and could be utilized as more of a short-yardage target and run-blocker.

Rudolph won’t be able to fill his specific role and make the two-year contract worth it unless he’s healthy — locating the injury and taking the subsequent steps to ensure he’s ready for Week 1 were both incredibly important.