Minnesota Vikings: The 4 Vikings With the Most to Prove in 2015
Kyle Rudolph
I think by now everyone knows how talented Kyle Rudolph is and how good he can be. He is a reliable target, especially in the red zone, and he made it to the Pro Bowl after the 2012 season.
His problem is that he has not been able to stay on the field to produce at the level he is capable of. Rudolph has only played 17 games combined the past two seasons. That is certainly a bit of a concern being that the Vikings gave him a large contract extension last off-season. Last season, he required a sports hernia surgery and had knee and ankle issues that limited him. The good news is that he has been able to play full seasons in the past, missing only one game total his first two seasons.
Rudolph is currently in California with some of the other Vikings, including Bridgewater, to train for the upcoming season. Take a look:
Back to work with some of my @Vikings teammates! Looking forward to having these guys at @proactivesp all week! pic.twitter.com/s3GMdK8M9N
— Kyle Rudolph (@KyleRudolph) March 16, 2015
It’s cool to see Bridgewater, Rudolph, Jerick McKinnon (who looks huge), Charles Johnson and others getting work in together during the off-season. I have to say though, this picture is only a couple of degrees of separation from the Indiana Pacers and Seattle Seahawks “boy band” pictures:
@JMV1070 @dandakich @TonyD1070 @gregrakestraw @DaveFurst which boy band team picture is worse? @Pacers @Seahawks pic.twitter.com/XjS0XZdhig
— Derek Moore (@dmo1025) January 29, 2015
As long as we stay away from the leather jackets and skinny jeans, I think we will be alright. Anyway, I expect a bounce back season from Rudolph but if he struggles to stay on the field there will surely be some rumblings next off-season. Large contract extensions can be a blessing as well as a curse.