Is Jordan Addison Tracking Toward Hardware?
Ted Schwerzler
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Taken in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings envisioned a reality in which Jordan Addison would pair with Justin Jefferson to create a dynamic receiving duo. We haven’t seen that at the highest level yet, but Addison has more than held his own. Is he doing enough to earn a look at Offensive Rookie of the Year honors?
Is Jordan Addison Tracking Toward Hardware?
After drawing sporadic starts through the first five weeks of the season, Jordan Addison saw his role increase substantially with the placement of Justin Jefferson on injured reserve. Someone needed to absorb those targets, and while Addison was always going to be the first man up, he had to show he was capable.
After garnering just a single target and no catches against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4, Addison answered by hauling in six of nine targets and finding paydirt in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs. His outing against the Bears in Week 8 was lackluster, but he exploded for his first career 100-yard game in Week 7 against a very good San Francisco 49ers team.
The yardage totals haven’t been gaudy thus far, as Addison has just 482 to his credit. He hasn’t surpassed Jefferson’s total before going down, and it isn’t as though he’s been on a Tyreek Hill sort of pace. That said, he has found opportunities to beat the defense and turned those into points. With seven touchdowns to his credit, it is only the Dolphins Hill that has found the end zone more often.
Looking at the production of rookies, Addison will be compared to more than a handful of high performers regarding end-of-season awards. The Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua stepped up in a big way when Cooper Kupp couldn’t go to begin the year, and he has nearly 800 yards to his credit thus far. Zay Flowers is right in the same boat with regards to yardage as Addison is, but has only scored a single touchdown.
Beyond the wide receiver position, there is Bijan Robinson, who has been as advertised but is held back by the Atlanta Falcons as a whole. Rookie quarterbacks such as C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young have also done their thing. With it still being plenty early in the process, Addison has to feel good about where he is at.
The Vikings are now in the midst of a transition at the quarterback position. Kirk Cousins isn’t returning, and Jaren Hall will get the first shot at leading the dynamic offense. When Jefferson does return, he should see the most significant coverage, so Addison’s opportunity to shine will remain bright. Having developed into a burgeoning star already, becoming the security blanket for whoever the passing answer is, the rest of the way could benefit him.
It will still be a few more weeks before we see the race for end-of-season awards start to show some clarity, but halfway through the year, Addison has to feel good about where he is. If the Vikings are going to keep winning, despite the seismic shift under center, it is going to happen in large part because the rest of their weapons stepped up. It appears Minnesota nailed Addison’s capabilities, and watching them continue to evolve should be a treat.
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 weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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