Vikings cut tight end Rudolph, create more than $5M in cap space

The Vikings released two-time Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph, ending his 10-season run with the team to create a little more than $5 million in salary cap space. Rudolph is fifth in franchise history with 453 catches and 48 TD receptions. He was due to make $7.65 million in 2021. By terminating his contract with three years remaining, the team will carry a salary cap hit of $4.35 million in dead money this season.

TEXANS: Released quarterback Josh Mccown, likely ending his 18-year NFL career. Houston signed the 41-year-old in November, but he did not appear in a game. Mccown also played for the Eagles, Jets, Cardinals, Lions, Raiders, Panthers, Bears, Buccaneers and Browns, playing 102 games and throwing for 17,731 yards and 98 TDS.

CHIEFS: Kansas City expects Patrick Mahomes to be ready for offseason workouts following toe surgery and is optimistic that offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz could be available for the start of training camp. Mahomes had surgery on Feb. 10, shortly after the Chiefs were walloped by the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl, to repair a turf toe injury that hobbled him throughout the playoffs. The recovery time is about three months, which means Mahomes could be ready for summer minicamp.

BEARS: Hired former University of Texas head coach Tom Herman in an analyst role on coach Matt Nagy’s staff, his first NFL job after more than two decades of college coaching. Herman led Texas to a 32-18 record and four bowl victories in the past four seasons but was fired in January, with Steve Sarkisian replacing him.