The Minnesota Vikings released wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph from the practice squad this week, ending a brief stay that began as one of new general manager Nolan Teasley’s first roster moves, via the NFL transaction wire.
Rudolph, an undrafted rookie out of Toledo, never appeared in a regular-season game for Minnesota.
The 5-foot-10, 187-pound receiver from Crete, Illinois, signed with the Vikings on June 4 after Seattle waived him two weeks into his first NFL opportunity.
Teasley, who had just arrived from the Seahawks front office, brought Rudolph and fellow former Seattle undrafted receiver Michael Briscoe to Eagan as early additions during organized team activities. Minnesota waived Joaquin Davis to make room.
College production made Rudolph an intriguing depth piece. He finished his career with 190 receptions for 2,467 yards and 12 touchdowns across stops at Northern Illinois and Toledo, plus 76 kickoff returns for 1,686 yards and two scores.
At Toledo in 2025, he caught 39 passes for 435 yards and two touchdowns while returning a kickoff for a score. He also shared a high school with former Vikings receiver Laquon Treadwell. Those return skills were the clearest path to a roster spot, but he recorded no statistics across three preseason games.
Minnesota waived Rudolph at the end of August, then signed him back to the practice squad. He was not elevated for the Week 2 win over Chicago, even with Jauan Jennings unavailable.
The subsequent release, paired with the departure of cornerback Bryce Phillips from the practice squad and defensive tackle Taki Taimani from injured reserve, signaled comfort with existing receiver depth behind Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and others.
Practice-squad contracts carry no guaranteed money, so the move created no meaningful cap hit.
For Rudolph the cut continues a turbulent first NFL summer: signed by Seattle on May 14, waived May 27, signed by Minnesota June 4, waived at final cuts, re-signed to the practice squad, then released again.
At 24, he remains a free agent who can be signed by any team, including a possible return to Minnesota after the required waiting period.
His combination of slot size, return experience, and MAC production may still earn another look as teams look for special-teams help later in the season.
The transaction is routine roster maintenance rather than a statement about the player.
It simply closes a short chapter that began with Teasley’s first official additions and ended two months later with Minnesota choosing other bodies on the practice squad.
