Kyle Rudolph confirms Vikings offered a contract extension

The Minnesota Vikings tight end addressed the media on Wednesday and confirmed the team approached him about a contract extension.

The recent status of Kyle Rudolph has been a big talking point for the Minnesota Vikings ever since they drafted tight end Irv Smith Jr. in the second round of last month’s NFL Draft. As the Vikings are turning over the couch to try to find salary cap space, the team went to Rudolph to try to restructure or extend his contract to create relief needed to sign its draft class.

Those talks haven’t gone well as Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that Rudolph and his agent Brian Murphy had broken off extension talks despite the team offering a five-year contract extension this offseason. As Rudolph showed up to OTAs (taking a 6 a.m. flight from New York City to do so), he confirmed that the Vikings had offered him an extension and believed his agent and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski will get something done.

"“We’re in a tough situation,” Rudolph admitted to reporters on Wednesday. “Everybody knows that. That’s why we have the best salary cap guy in the NFL and I believe I have one of the best agents. Like I said, they’re working really hard to get something done.”"

While the team and Rudolph continue to hammer things out on a potential deal, the 30-year old also said that several teams are also interested in acquiring his services. Until then, the veteran tight end is simply enjoying the time with his teammates at OTAs and acknowledged his situation could be worse.

"“It’s part of this business and it’s not a bad situation to be in,” Rudolph said. “I get to practice every day with my teammates. A bad situation would have been getting cut in March and having to find a new job. I have a job, so I just come out here each and every day and practice with my teammates and whatever happens happens.”"

Rudolph’s attitude even extended toward Smith, who Rudolph said will make things easier for the Vikings’ offense thanks to the Alabama product’s versatility.

"“It’s an element we haven’t had in my nine years here,” Rudolph said. “It forces the defense to play with three linebackers and that allows us to control the game.”"

Perhaps Rudolph’s presence and “happy-to-be-here” attitude are why Mike Zimmer had few words on the subject during his press conference acknowledging he was in attendance and still under contract with the team. Even Rudolph later said that he hoped that there would be a resolution before training camp, which would be on par to what Stefon Diggs negotiations looked like prior to signing a five-year, $72 million extension at the beginning of training camp next season.

Time will tell if the goodwill and optimism will result in a long-term extension for Kyle Rudolph, but for now, he believes things will take care of themselves when it comes to his tenure with the Minnesota Vikings.