Vikings WR Jordan Addison Is in Concussion Protocol, Will Miss Team’s 2nd Preseason Game vs. the Titans
The Minnesota Vikings selected WR Jordan Addison in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft in hopes that he could be a direct replacement for Adam Thielen, who departed for the Carolina Panthers this spring.
Addison showed off his skills in Minnesota’s first preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, showcasing a few dazzling routes and catching one pass for 22 yards. He could have had another toe-tapping grab on the sidelines, but it was ruled incomplete.
This performance has left Vikings fans wanting more of their shiny new receiving talent, but it appears that we will have to wait a little longer than anticipated to get our next taste of Addison’s skills.
The Vikings began joint practices with the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday, but Addison was nowhere to be found. Following the practice, head coach Kevin O’Connell revealed that the receiver is in concussion protocol with “light concussion symptoms”.
The hope as of now is that Addison will be ready to go next week when Minnesota prepares for another round of joint practices with the Arizona Cardinals before their third and final preseason game of the summer.
This injury shouldn’t cause major concern as of now, but it is certainly notable that the wide receiver has missed a good chunk of Vikings practices this offseason due to various ailments. He was out for most of OTSa and mandatory minicamp earlier this spring.
The Vikings seem to have a budding star in Addison, who absolutely lit up the field every time he played college football. Over his final two collegiate seasons, splitting time at Pittsburgh and USC, he totaled 159 receptions, 2468 yards, and 25 TDs.
With Addison out, though, this provides an opportunity for depth players to step up not only in Saturday’s preseason game but during the final joint practice with Tennessee on Thursday. Jalen Reagor had a spectacular showing in Minnesota’s preseason opener, and he is hoping to build off of that in order to remain with the team when September 10th rolls around.
Additionally, Jalen Nailor has been the talk of the town for much of the offseason, showcasing impressive performances throughout practices this offseason. After being a very limited part of the offense last year, the 2022 sixth-round pick is hoping to take a K.J. Osborn-esque leap heading into his second season.
Regardless, hopefully the Vikings 2023 first-rounder is able to make a swift recovery from this latest hiccup. Minnesota saw their 2022 draft class get railed with injuries throughout last year’s campaign, with only Ed Ingram starting all 17 games for the team.
Minnesota and Tennessee have one more joint practice on Thursday that begins at 12 PM Central before kicking off their preseason matchup on Saturday in U.S. Bank Stadium.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.