Jordan Addison on first day as a Viking after the team selected him in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Vikings chose Addison 23rd on April 27th, 2023, and he'll immediately vie for a WR2 job next to Justin Jefferson.
The Vikings brought in six rookies in the draft, and many other players were signed as undrafted free agents. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wasted no time and signed his whole draft class to contracts.
Those rookie deals are just obligatory contracts. The framework is already done. The only thing that can be negotiated is the guarantees and some wording in the contract.
Jordan Addison, the 23rd overall pick, was the final player to sign his contract, and he did that on Wednesday, according to Tom Pelissero. He will be with the Vikings for four seasons, and the team has an additional fifth-year option, the usual rookie contract of a first-rounder in the NFL.
Addison earned some unwarranted criticism from Vikings fans when he stepped onto the stage after the Vikings drafted him and said, “Let’s get paid. “Now, he got paid.
The receiver is expected to take over for veteran Adam Thielen who was released for cap-saving reasons. He starred in college for three years at two different schools. His first stint was in Pittsburgh, where he was the star wideout early in his career as a true freshman. In his second year, he and passer Kenny Pickett teamed up for a productive season. Pickett became a first-round pick, and Addison won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver.
After his sophomore campaign, Addison transferred to USC to play with another future NFL quarterback, Caleb Williams, who is expected to be the next first-overall pick. He also played in the offense of Lincoln Riley, one of the best offensive minds in college football. Addison led the team in both receiving yards and touchdowns.
He is a smooth receiver with excellent route-running skills. While he is not a burner, his ability to sell routes is top-notch. He can simply put defenders on skates by using every bit of leverage the cornerback gives him.
Addison is a pro-ready receiver with significant college production, and it’s unlikely for him to take long until he becomes the WR2 in Minnesota, even though veteran K.J. Osborn might get the start in the first few weeks.
The rookie will enter one of the most explosive offenses in the league with the pairing of Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson. The former is a four-time Pro Bowler but enters the final year of his contract with the Vikes. Jefferson is the league’s top wideout and has the league-leading receiving yards and receptions, just like the Offensive Player of the Year trophy. Together with Addison, he possibly forms one of the league’s best receiver duos.
Addison is now under contract and can fully focus on preparing for his debut season. The next steps are the OTAs (organized team activities) and training camp before the regular season begins on September 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt