Minnesota Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph: Offense will ‘get there’

The Minnesota Vikings passing offense struggled mightily in 2015, but tight end Kyle Rudolph assures fans ‘one of these years we’ll get there’.

Despite an overall successful 2015 NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings still have a lot of work to do if they want to be considered Super Bowl contenders. While their defense is one of the best in the league, it is their offense that needs a lot of work, starting with the passing game.

Related Story: Minnesota Vikings 2016 game-by-game season preview

One key piece of the offensive puzzle is tight end Kyle Rudolph. Signed to a lucrative five-year contract extension worth $36.5 million back in 2014, expectations were high for the athletic pass catcher could help the team become a bigger threat in the red zone and help out passing woes in general.

Sadly, injuries have been a major factor in Rudolph becoming that key part of the team’s receiving group. In the last three seasons, he has missed 15 games and only scored 10 touchdowns in the 33 games he played in during that stretch. Hopes are that Rudolph can return to his 2012 form where he found the endzone 9 times and nearly reached 500 yards receiving.

Rudolph is optimistic that this can happen. According to an article on the 1500 ESPN website, his goals are extremely high this season:

"“I’m looking to have the best season of my career,. We have to get better on the offensive side of the ball and that comes with being more balanced. Not being so run heavy and so dependent on the run game. And I play a part in that.”"

More from The Viking Age

• 6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings history
• Former Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC North
• Bears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take
• 6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023
• Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022

Having a big-bodied target will definitely help young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, but so will the addition of several key pieces on the offensive line and the drafting of Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

With all those pieces, and a healthy Kyle Rudolph, combined with workhorse running back Adrian Peterson, this could be an offense that could surprise people through the air in 2016.

"“That’s what I’m working for each and every year. It’s like chopping on a tree. You just keep swinging and swinging. And one of these years we’ll get there.”"

Next: Minnesota Vikings 2016 NFL Draft class

Now, with all the tools the team has on offense along with the draft picks and salary cap used, the excuses for the Minnesota Vikings to struggle in the passing game are getting very thin. If the team ends up near the bottom of the league in passing again, this may signal that bigger changes need to be made. But, for now, it will be interesting to see if Kyle Rudolph and the rest of the Vikings can make Minnesota a more balanced threat offensively.