The Minnesota Vikings made a bold move when they made Kyle Rudolph one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL last year. After he missed seven games in 2014 due to injury, that five-year deal worth $36.5 million didn't seem like such a good idea. But Rudolph is determined to make good on his lucrative contract.
The pass-catcher who has never topped 493 yards in a season focused on durability and flexibility this offseason. For what it's worth, second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater notices the difference.
"Having Mike [Wallace] is nice, but what's even a better addition is have Kyle Rudolph back healthy," Bridgewater said. "He's like a whole new player on the team."
Rudolph can make $250,000 in roster bonuses (on top of his $4.9 million base salary) if he is active for all 16 games this season. That means staying healthy and productive for an entire year.
"I like to think that in the offseason, I work as hard as anyone else and do everything I can to take care of my body and prevent injury. Sometimes, it's just not the luck of the draw," Rudolph said. "Unfortunately, I've had a couple of those. But with that being said, I'm still searching to do everything I can, to be healthy and to play 16 games. That's my goal, and I've said it time and time again: If I'm out there for 16 games, I think I can help our team win."
The Vikings wouldn't have given Rudolph, who has 17 career touchdowns, $18 million in guarantees if they didn't believe if he could be a difference maker on game day. With the continued development of Bridgewater and the offensive scheme of Norv Turner, there's no reason he can't put up quality numbers if healthy this year.
"I'm a different piece than I was last year, that's for sure - having two good hips and being able to run around like I used to," Rudolph said. "I feel like I can have a much bigger impact on this offense than I did, say, last November, when I came back from surgery."
