MINNEAPOLIS -- As Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater makes his first career start on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, he'll have to get by without another weapon on offense.
Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph will have surgery for a sports hernia Tuesday and, according to a league source, is expected to be out for six weeks. Rudolph said he had been struggling with a groin injury for a while and heard something pop Sunday during the Vikings' 20-9 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He played 46 snaps in the game but was unable to finish it.
Coach Mike Zimmer said at his Monday news conference that the Vikings will find out more about Rudolph's injury Tuesday, after he sees Dr. William Meyers (who has twice operated on Adrian Peterson) in Philadelphia.
Zimmer wouldn't concede that the tight end will definitely need surgery. But if the Vikings are without Rudolph -- whom they gave a five-year, $36.5 million contract extension in August -- they could have an even harder time reviving an offense that's scored just 16 points in its past two games. The Vikings are missing Peterson, who is on the exempt/commissioner's permission list as he deals with his child abuse case in Texas, and Rudolph's injury would take the team's third-leading pass-catcher off the field.
It would also mean a second year of bad injury luck for Rudolph, who missed half of last season after breaking his foot in November against Dallas. He caught 30 passes for 313 yards in eight games last season, and the Vikings had hopes for a breakout season from the 24-year-old. It appears those hopes, at least for now, will have to be put on hold.
With Rudolph out, it leaves the Vikings with Rhett Ellison and MarQueis Gray -- who got most of the work in passing situations late in Sunday's game -- as tight ends. The Vikings could also elevate Chase Ford, who showed some promise as a receiving option late last season before breaking his foot in training camp, from their practice squad.
"We're hopeful with Kyle, but we'll see," Zimmer said. "We do have Plan Bs going on, as we do every week."
Rudolph is among several Vikings starters whose availability is in doubt. Zimmer said linebacker Chad Greenway has a broken rib to go with his broken hand, and the coach blamed himself for putting Greenway on the field after the linebacker had been listed on the injury report with a rib injury and a broken hand this week. Greenway wasn't able to finish Sunday's game, and asked if Greenway could play on Sunday against Atlanta, Zimmer said, "Not like he did this week."
Quarterback Matt Cassel will see a foot specialist on Thursday after breaking several bones in his left foot on Sunday, and Zimmer said guard Brandon Fusco is still under evaluation for a pectoral injury. Cornerback Josh Robinson was unable to finish the game on Sunday with a hamstring injury; "I don't know where his injury's at," Zimmer said.
"You never plan on having as many injuries as you have, but we're not going to make excuses about it," Zimmer said. "I still believe the best team, the guys that play together, that play the hardest, that make the fewest mistakes will win. Our expectation level doesn't change because of injuries."