Minnesota Vikings: 10 easy predictions for 2019 to set expectations
By Tim Arcand
Kyle Rudolph will have a breakout season—finally
Kyle Rudolph has been an extremely active person in the Twins Cities community. A Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, Rudolph and his wife helped to create “Kyle Rudolph’s End Zone” at the Masonic Children’s Hospital. Vikings fans rallied around a Twitter campaign in hopes of helping him win the award.
On the field Rudolph has been a consistent performer, quietly climbing the ranks of Vikings’ all-time receivers. A second-round draft pick in 2011, he has started every game since 2015 and is averaging 63 receptions and six touchdowns a season over those four years. He is now ninth in franchise history with 3,787 receiving yards, eighth with 386 career receptions and fifth with 41 touchdowns. A two-time Pro Bowl participant, Rudolph’s salary cap hit in 2019 will be $7.6 million, the last year of a current five-year contract.
The rumor mill has the Minnesota Vikings looking to move Rudolph to make room to sign their draft class that includes second-round pick Irv Smith a tight end from Alabama.
Rudolph tweeted earlier this month with a picture of him wearing a white hoodie that he has”LOTS OF GAME LEFT.” It is a very clear message to the Minnesota Vikings.
In order to back that up, along with the fact he is playing on the final year of his contract, and with the adding pressure of a high draft pick standing behind him on the depth chart look for Rudolph to have a great season—no matter where he might wind up playing.
He may even break a tackle or two along the way.