Bleacher Report Names Vikings’ Top Building Block
J.J. McCarthy? Justin Jefferson? Dallas Turner? Bleacher Report said “nope” to those men this week, instead naming wide receiver Jordan Addison as the Minnesota Vikings’ top building block for the future.
Bleacher Report uplifted one Vikings player, Jordan Addison, as the franchise’s main building block heading into 2025. And the pick was a bit of a surprise.
BR’s Moe Moton sized up building blocks for each NFL team last week, and Addison somehow represented the Vikings.
A head-turner, to be sure.
Jordan Addison = Vikings’ Building Block
A surprise twist, the electric Vikings wideout earned kudos from Bleacher Report.
Bleacher Report Calls Jordan Addison the Vikings’ Main Piece for the Future
Upon opening Moe Moton’s article, most purple fans would expect to see Justin Jefferson or J.J. McCarthy — probably McCarthy.
But Moton chose Addison and noted, “The Philadelphia Eagles have shown that it’s possible to build an offense around two wide receivers, even with their dominant ground attack. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith eclipsed 1,065 receiving yards in 2022 and 2023.”
“Minnesota Vikings wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison could post similar numbers together. Jefferson has established himself as a star receiver, winning the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year award and earning two All-Pro nods. Addison may not achieve those accolades, but he can stack 1,000-plus-yard receiving seasons.”
Minnesota pulled Addison out of Round 1 in 2023, and the return has been beneficial.
Moton added, “Already one of the league’s top No. 2 receivers, Addison has racked up 133 catches for 1,786 yards and 19 touchdowns in 32 contests.”
“In all three of his seasons as Vikings head coach and offensive play-caller, Kevin O’Connell has fielded a top-six passing attack, which bodes well for Addison’s production outlook in a complementary pass-catching role.”
J.J. McCarthy Too Raw, Evidently
McCarthy has never thrown a regular season pass in the NFL, missing his entire rookie season in 2024 with a torn meniscus. While it’s peachy that Moton would heap praise onto Addison, McCarthy is very much the primary building block in Minnesota.
If not, well, why the hell did general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah draft him 14 months ago?
McCarthy was evidently disqualified from the selection process due to inexperience, which is somewhat fair.
3 Years Left with Vikings for Addison
Assuming Minnesota doesn’t sour on Addison’s off-the-field shenanigans — two serious driving offenses in two summers — Addison will be a part of the enterprise through the end of the 2027 campaign.
Of course, Adofo-Mensah can extend Addison beyond 2027, but that may be tricky with McCarthy’s big money due around the same time — if McCarthy becomes a Top 15 quarterback. Jefferson, too, may play efficiently well into his 30s, and he’d need a new contract in about 4-5 years.
Other Building Blocks
Addison and McCarthy may be Minnesota’s main building blocks, but a case can be made for the following players, considering youth, draft stock, and performance:
- Christian Darrisaw (LT)
- Donovan Jackson (G)
- Ivan Pace Jr. (LB)
- Dallas Turner (OLB)
Turner especially will experience an increased snap load in 2025, and he could break out into stardom. That’s the plan, anyway.
The 2024 1st-Rounder only played about 30% of defensive snaps as a rookie.
Curious about the Packers?
Moton’s selection of building blocks wasn’t exclusive to the Vikings. He assigned one for each NFL team, and out in Green Bay, that man was tight end Tucker Kraft.
Moton explained, “This offseason, the Green Bay Packers selected Matthew Golden in the first round of the draft to address the need for a go-to receiver. While he has potential, it’s clear the Packers have a budding pass-catching tight end who can create mismatches all over the field.”
“In 2023, Green Bay double-dipped at tight end, taking Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft in the second and third rounds of the draft, respectively. While Musgrave has dealt with injuries, Kraft saw a significant uptick in production in two years. Last season, Kraft finished second on the team in catches (50) and receiving yards (707) and led the Packers in touchdown receptions (seven).”
Kraft, indeed, is on an upward trajectory; fantasy football managers can attest.
Moton concluded, “Typically, you don’t hear about tight ends as building blocks in an offense, though if Packers wide receivers aren’t able to consistently produce big plays in crucial moments of games, Kraft could become the go-to target, especially in the red zone.”
Caleb Williams got the nod for the Chicago Bears, and linebacker Jack Campbell is the Detroit Lions’ top building block, per Moton.
The start of the NFL regular season is less than 60 days away.
Beloved Ex-Viking Wants Back In
You must be logged in to post a comment.