Jordan Addison's recent success proves the Vikings' team-building strategy was the right one
When you take a look at the Minnesota Vikings' roster, there are some blatant holes. The defensive line doesn't have a pass rusher on the interior that can generate a pass rush. It's really good against the run but has struggled a lot in passing situations. At cornerback, the only players under contract next season […]
When you take a look at the Minnesota Vikings' roster, there are some blatant holes.
The defensive line doesn't have a pass rusher on the interior that can generate a pass rush. It's really good against the run but has struggled a lot in passing situations.
At cornerback, the only players under contract next season are Mekhi Blackmon, who is recovering from a torn ACL, and Dwight McGlothern who played in his first NFL game this Sunday.
Running back is another one that's been contentious, as head coach Kevin O'Connell hasn't trusted a running back other than Aaron Jones since they moved on from Dalvin Cook after the 2022 season.
Jordan Addison proves Vikings team building strategy is working
Despite the flaw, the Vikings' team-building strategy has worked under general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. What exactly is that strategy?
Load up the weapons around Justin Jefferson to make the quarterback's job easier.
Normally, when you look at the best wide receiver in the National Football League, there can be a hesitation to load up at the same position around him because of how much you are paying him. However, it's because of his gravity that you should load up around him.
The success of Jordan Addison is exactly why they made him the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and also why they traded for T.J. Hockenson at the 2022 trade deadline. This season is proving how much Addison is making a difference.
This season has been up and down for Addison. He missed weeks two and three with an ankle sprain but came back with a vengeance against the Green Bay Packers with four catches, 72 yards and a touchdown.
One of the reasons his stats have been up and down is due to the presence of Jefferson and Darnold's willingness to spread the ball around. It's not inherently bad for a WR2 to have sporadic production, especially with the presence of both Jefferson and Hockenson, but the last three weeks have been huge for Addison.
- 8 catches, 162 yards, 1 touchdown vs. Chicago Bears
- 4 catches, 54 yards vs. Arizona Cardinals
- 8 catches, 133 yards, 3 touchdowns vs. Falcons
A three-game stretch of 20 catches for 349 yards and four touchdowns shows his importance. When Jefferson is locked down, like he was against the Bears, Addison had the biggest game of his short career and then took things to another level this past Sunday.
The presence alone of Jefferson has it's own gravitational pull. He can command double and triple coverage regularly, something that the Bears did the entire game to stop him. The Vikings answered with three players having 100+ yards from scrimmage in a 30-27 overtime victory.
Addison's success this season is due to a lot of factors but you can argue that the biggest one is the seven games he played as the Vikings' top wide receiver with Jefferson injured for seven games last season. He was forced to learn on the fly how to deal with the coverage a top wide receiver would get and it's helped him significantly this season to deal with really good cornerbacks.
Having Addison and Hockenson on the roster right now is huge for the Vikings in taking the next step. They have already elevated Sam Darnold to another level and the soon-to-be starter J.J. McCarthy will have a great group of weapons to play with when he gets the starting job.
The Vikings still have a lot of work to do to fortify the roster and make it comfortable across the board, but their surplus of talent at premium positions is going to make a huge impact for years to come.
Sam Darnold and Jordan Addison highlight Studs and Duds with career days, send Kirk Cousins home with a double digit loss
It was a huge day for the Vikings’ offense
