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Jordan Addison Makes a WR Addition Necessary
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The Minnesota Vikings have one of the best tandems of wide receivers across the entire NFL. Justin Jefferson being the position’s best certainly puts them in a good spot. Jordan Addison emerging as a star helps elevate the pairing. He made a bad decision, though, and now Kevin O’Connell needs help.
Jordan Addison Makes a WR Addition Necessary
Last year, the Vikings watched Jordan Addison have a run-in with the law while passed out behind the wheel of his car. He continues to kick the can down the road regarding the resolution of his DUI hearing. Ultimately, it remains unlikely he’ll get off without a suspension from the league.
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Even if Sam Darnold were to return for Minnesota next season, giving the quarterback one less option in the passing game isn’t a positive outcome. That becomes even more significant if the quarterback is an untested youngster, J.J. McCarthy, or a newcomer altogether.
The Vikings certainly can’t ask Jalen Nailor to step up. He operated as the third wide receiver last season and was fine in that role. He didn’t light up the field and has already begged the question as to whether or not an upgrade makes sense. With Addison likely ticketed for a multi-week absence, Nailor’s ability should be the absolute floor for any new option.
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Last season, Minnesota was forced to work without starting tight end T.J. Hockenson to open the year. He wound up missing substantially more of the season than could have been expected, and the offense saw a nice uptick once he was back on the field. Addison’s suspension won’t be the same length, but opposing defenses will look to neutralize Jefferson without him on the field.
The Vikings have significant cap space this offseason and must allocate plenty of that throughout the roster. They have a boatload of free agents that could be hitting the open market, and nothing may be more important than their ability to build in the trenches.
Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon chats with Minnesota general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah during practice in Eagan, Minn., Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. © Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK.
As general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah seeks to round out his team as a whole, the wide receiver position should certainly be on the shopping list. Addison will be out of the picture for a period of time this season, and he will likely look for a lead role with a new team when he is able in the not-so-distant future as well.
Time to mitigate that absence now.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.