Jordan Addison Addresses Trade Rumors
The trade deadline is approaching quickly, and the Vikings are a fascinating team this year. After acquiring T.J. Hockenson and Joshua Dobbs at the previous two deadlines, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could once again be active, especially with his club’s position in the playoff hunt sitting at 5-2. However, the recent trend might lead to a more conservative approach.
Jordan Addison Addresses Trade Rumors
Just last year, the Vikings traded away left guard Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars. This year, however, shipping players to other teams seems unreasonable, considering the team’s record.
Still, sophomore wideout Jordan Addison landed in the rumor mill. He’s the clear-cut number two option in the passing game; with T.J. Hockenson’s return, he might drop another spot. He posted a picture of himself with the tag “Free 3.”
Nowadays, those things are taken seriously, especially with receivers often turning into divas. Folks believed he was unhappy with his target share. In five games, he has been targeted 23 times, catching 14 passes for 231 yards and one touchdown.
On Monday, however, Addison shut down any rumors, saying he came up with the “Free 3” slogan years ago.
“People just try to make something out of anything. It ain’t nothing. I think I came up with that in 2020 fall camp at Pittsburgh,” Addison said. “So that’s where that started. People got to do their homework before they start saying stuff.”
When he was asked whether he had any issues with how the Vikings use him on offense, he said, “No, I’m straight.”
Indeed, Addison’s numbers have declined from last season. His 108 targets last season resulted in an average of 6.5 targets per game. That number has dropped to 4.6. It should be noted, though, that the 22-year-old missed some time with an ankle injury, including game time in Week 1.
The fact of the matter is that the Vikings simply don’t throw as much as they did a year ago, which is the main reason for the decline in total passing numbers. Last season, the Vikings attempted 37.1 passes per game. This season, meanwhile, that number has dropped to 27.1, the lowest per-game total in the NFL.
A reason for that is that the Vikings have built leads early in six of seven games, and the improved rushing game is another factor.
Still, perhaps the Vikings should target him more often, regardless. His ten yards per target are an improvement from last year, and his yards per route run have increased, too.
Addison entered the building in the first round of the 2023 draft with the expectation of being Justin Jefferson’s wingman, and he has done that. Whenever defenses focus on the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year, Addison can feast next to him.
He enjoyed an excellent rookie season with 911 yards and ten touchdowns, and he stepped into the WR1 role when Jefferson was forced to miss time with his hamstring injury, which also led to some increased opportunities.
Long story short, the Vikings don’t throw as much as last season, so his total numbers don’t look as good as last year. A trade can be ruled out at this point, but it will be fascinating to watch how the offense will evolve throughout the season with Hockenson’s return about to happen on Sunday.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Pro Football Focus helped with this article.
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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 prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt