Vikings Fan
Heading into Thursday night, the Minnesota Vikings faced roster needs from about five positions, just five draft picks on the menu, and a desire to stave off win-loss regression in 2023.
So, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah called his pick into commissioner Roger Goodell and chose wide receiver Jordan Addison from USC.
The Vikings will now feature a Robin to Justin Jefferson’s Batman this autumn, and the offensive-minded head coach, Kevin O’Connell, became filthy rich on offense, at least via throwing the ball.
And Addison — not shy of social media — wasn’t afraid to preview the team’s 2023 offense. He tweeted after his selection by the Vikings, “Scary hours in Minnesota ?.”
The tweet also included a Madden video showcasing himself in a Vikings uniform:
Minnesota’s WR room now looks like this, a group that Vikings fans are certain to adore:
The news may be disappointing for Osborn, who seemed on track to take over WR2 duties if the Vikings didn’t do one thing — draft a wide receiver in the 1st Round. But that’s exactly what they did, perhaps keeping Osborn locked into his WR3 duty, which he’s manned since the start of 2021.
Scary hours is homage to the possibilities inside a Vikings offense with Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, Osborn, Addison, and perhaps even Dalvin Cook. The Vikings long-time running back is still under contract, but many expect Cook to be traded or released in the coming days or weeks. Regardless, with or without Cook, O’Connell’s offense should hum, and Addison is the cake-topper.
With scary hours squared away on offense, Minnesota is expected to focus on the defensive side of the ball Friday and Saturday during the draft. The group woefully ranked 27th in defensive DVOA last year, 30th in points allowed, and 31st in yards allowed. And those marks were before losing five cornerbacks and Eric Kendricks + Dalvin Tomlinson this offseason.
Addison turned 21 in January, and his rookie contract will line up ideally by dollars and sense with Jefferson’s incoming extension. For five years, Minnesota can pay Jefferson megabucks while utilizing Addison on a sought-after rookie deal as he proves his mettle as a professional.
The Vikings have a rich history of drafting wide receivers in Round 1 — from Randy Moss, Percy Harvin, to Jefferson. Plus, those are just examples from the last 25 years.
The NFL draft resumes Friday at 6:00 pm CST.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.