How Good Is a Season of Both Vikings Wideouts?
Ted Schwerzler
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The Minnesota Vikings took Jordan Addison in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The decision to do so reflected a need to replace veteran Adam Thielen behind Justin Jefferson. Addison immediately filled that role, but the pair rarely had the full complement of exposure together. What can that look like in 2024?
How Good Is a Season of Both Vikings Wideouts?
Last year, Jordan Addison would experience something of a slow burn in that the rookie needed to get himself acclimated to the professional level. He was working behind Justin Jefferson, and it took a bit for him to establish a consistent presence in the offense. By that point, Jefferson had suffered an injury against the Kansas City Chiefs, and Addison was thrust into the lead role. Not long after, quarterback Kirk Cousins suffered his season-ending Achilles injury, and the quarterback situation got murky.
Fast forward to 2024, and it’s hard not to dream of what Minnesota could have from their top two receivers. The quarterback situation certainly needs to be ironed out, and that will impact how good both players can be, but working with one another is also an exciting proposition. Jefferson will return with a clean bill of health and will likely do so on a newly loaded contract. Addison will have the training wheels removed, and he’ll be expected to produce from day one.
Jefferson and Addison should expect to be relied upon heavily out of the gate in Kevin O’Connell’s offense. It’s unlikely that starting tight end T.J. Hockenson will be cleared for action during Week 1, and it remains to be seen what an inconsistent running back situation looks like in the year ahead. Whether the quarterback is Cousins, a rookie, or a veteran, the pair of pass catchers could be the most important players on offense.
Even in missing time last year, Jefferson still eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. Addison came up less than 100 yards shy and is looking to cross that plateau for the first time in his career.
The rookie showed he was an exceptional option when looking to reach the end zone, and the only thing that slowed his league-leading pace was inconsistent quarterback play.
We only got a small glimpse of what the duo can bring to the table together last year, but that is something for fans to salivate about when dreaming of next season.
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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