Kyle Rudolph Listed as Probable for Sunday vs. Bears
By Dan Zinski
Kyle Rudolph hasn’t played since suffering a groin injury week three against the New Orleans Saints. Six games and one sports hernia surgery later, Rudolph appears ready to return to the field for the Vikings.
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On their Friday injury report, the Vikings list Rudolph as probable for Sunday’s game against the Bears. It’s noted that Rudolph was a full participant in practice both Thursday and Friday.
Coach Mike Zimmer also confirmed that he expects Rudolph to be on the field in Chicago.
Many thought going into the season that Rudolph was in for a breakout year under new offensive coordinator Norv Turner, but the groin injury obviously put a damper on all that.
In two-plus games before going down, Rudolph collected 10 receptions for 96 yards on 17 targets with 1 TD. In that short span he averaged 9.6 yards-per-reception, down from his career high of 10.4 in 2013.
The Vikings’ offense has undergone some pretty major changes since Rudolph went out, the biggest being the switch from veteran QB Matt Cassel to rookie Teddy Bridgewater.
It may take some time for Rudolph to work his way back into rhythm, but the Vikings have no reason to worry after the emergence of Chase Ford, who has caught 11 passes for 123 yards and a TD in the last two games.
We’ll see how long it takes Teddy Bridgewater to develop chemistry with Rudolph, a tight end he hasn’t gotten the chance to work with very much during his short time in Minnesota.
Bridgewater has been working well with Chase Ford but expect Ford’s snaps to be cut way down with Rudolph now back in the fold.