Vikings ‘Most Dangerous New Addition’ Is a No-Brainer
Ten players left the Minnesota Vikings this offseason: Cameron Dantzler (CB, Commanders), Eric Kendricks (LB, Chargers), Patrick Peterson (CB, Steelers), Adam Thielen (WR, Panthers), Dalvin Tomlinson (DT, Browns), Duke Shelley (CB, Raiders), Irv Smith (TE, Bengals), Kris Boyd (CB, Cardinals), and Chandon Sullivan (CB, Steelers).
Za’Darius Smith was traded to Cleveland on May 12th, capping a one-year pitstop in Minnesota.
Vikings’ Most Dangerous New Addition’ Is a No-Brainer
Eight new free agents have joined the franchise since March, including Josh Oliver (TE, Ravens), Marcus Davenport (EDGE, Saints), Byron Murphy (CB, Cardinals), Dean Lowry (DT, Packers), Brandon Powell (WR, Rams), Troy Reeder (LB, Chargers), Joejuan Williams (CB, Patriots), and John Reid (CB, Falcons). Six men arrived from the 2023 NFL Draft, plus another 15 undrafted free agents.
And of all those veterans and rookies, one man has the ‘most dangerous new addition’ label, according to Bleacher Report — WR Jordan Addison.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox assigned the terms to one player from each NFL team, and for the Vikings, it’s the 21-year-old Trojan. “The USC product was the third-ranked receiver on the B/R board and caught 59 passes for 875 yards and eight touchdowns in his lone season as a Trojan. Addison was even more productive with Pitt in 2021, finishing with 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns on 100 receptions on his way to winning the Biletnikoff Award as college football’s top wide receiver,” Knox opined.
The Vikings used their 23rd overall pick in April’s draft on Addison, surprising some because the club was woeful on defense in 2022.
Knox continued, “He’s a crafty route-runner with good speed (4.49-second 40-yard dash) and an ability to chew up yards before or after the catch. With Thielen out, Addison will get a chance to start from day one, and with superstar Justin Jefferson opposite him, he should see plenty of one-on-one opportunities as a rookie too. He might be the most serious challenger to Bijan Robinson for OROY.”
Minnesota scooped Addison out of the draft for one reason — to take pressure off teammate Justin Jefferson on Sundays. Opposing defensive coordinators determined last year that they could tame Jefferson by selling out assets to defend him — and boom — the Vikings lost those games. The outcome was as plain as day.
Now, though — assuming Addison isn’t a draft bust — Minnesota’s rivals must plot a different strategy. Selling out to contain Jefferson should open a new can of worms, allowing Addison to run wild if multiple defensive backs are chasing Jefferson.
Addison was a workhorse at Pittsburgh and USC, so he should be accustomed to the heavy target loads on gamedays.
The Vikings unveil their new weapon on September 10th at U.S. Bank Stadium versus the Tom Brady-less Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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