Jordan Addison Showing Superstar Potential, Creating Buzz Inside Minnesota Vikings Facility

The Minnesota Vikings have the NFL’s best receiver in Justin Jefferson, which is why he’s now the highest-paid non-QB in the league. But we can’t forget about Jordan Addison, either.

Addison’s rookie season left no questions unanswered after becoming the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. While Vikings fans have been forced to witness other first-round receivers struggling in their debut NFL season, from Troy Williamson to Laquon Treadwell, that wasn’t the case for Addison.

In addition to racking up 911 yards on 70 receptions, Addison also led all rookies with 10 touchdown catches, which ranked third in the NFL. The former USC star no doubt had an impressive season, especially for a first-year player, but he did so while being just 21 years old.

As he enters his second season, Addison knows what to expect in the NFL. He’s already experienced the size, speed, and strength differences from college to the pros, but it didn’t faze him as a rookie. Yet, being able to get a feel for his opponents only helped him further prepare for the future as he went back to the lab this past offseason, and the early returns have been extremely positive during team workouts.

Earlier this week, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis noted Addison’s standout play so far this summer.

“Addison was one of the standouts at OTAs. He has a talent — like Jefferson — in that he is deceptively fast, peeling out of routes without false steps or a loss of speed. Enhanced knowledge of O’Connell’s system should allow him to confound defenses further. He and Jefferson will be on the minds of every opposing DC.”

The Athletic’s Alec Lewis on Jordan Addison

That alone should have Vikings fans excited about the offense’s potential, no matter who the starting quarterback is. While it’s great to hear about Addison’s advanced ability as a route-runner, what Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer had to say was even more electrifying.

Related: 10 Best Minnesota Vikings QBs of All-Time, Where’s Kirk Cousins?

Jordan Addison showing WR1 potential?

When the Minnesota Vikings drafted Jordan Addison, everyone knew the expectations. He didn’t need to be as good as Justin Jefferson; no one could. All the Vikings were looking for was a long-term replacement for Adam Thielen as a complementary receiver who could run every route on the tree.

One year into the experiment, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s decision to let Thielen leave, where he signed a three-year, $25 million contract with the Carolina Panthers, looks like a brilliant move. For the record, the Vikings have Addison for four years, at a total of $13 million, and his upcoming cap hit is just $3.1 million, which is much less than Thielen’s $9.9 million cap hit for the 2024 season.

But again, what’s most impressive is just Addison’s play. Yet the real kicker is that we haven’t seen the Vikings’ receiver anywhere near his best form quite yet.

What’s most exciting is that Addison’s been working his butt off all summer long, and as many observers have noticed, he’s ready to take the next step from star to superstar.

“Jordan Addison’s growth has created buzz in the Vikings’ facility. With Jefferson away for most of the offseason program, Addison’s progress really showed up—he came back physically stronger in April while maintaining the burst and body control that made him a first-round pick in 2023. And without Jefferson around, it was easy to visualize how Addison has the ability to be a real No. 1 down the line, and create a pick-your-poison problem for teams trying to defend the former USC standout, Jefferson and tight end T.J. Hockenson all at once.”

SI’s Albert Breer on Addison

Seriously, the Vikings’ skill position group should be illegal. Defenses have to put two or more defenders on Jefferson, which frees up advantageous one-on-one matchups for Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson and Addison.

Then there’s always the threat of Aaron Jones offering another mismatch out of the backfield. There’s only one ball to go around, but with this type of treasure chest at their reach, how could Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy fail?

Related: Albert Breer is Buying Minnesota Vikings Stock Over Other NFC North Teams