Zulgad's Roundup: Examining Jordan Addison's lesser role in Vikings' offense
The wide receiver said his social media post over the weekend had nothing to do with his usage this season, but the decline has been dramatic.
(Image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)
Wide receiver Jordan Addison posted a cryptic message on Instagram over the weekend by putting the words “Free 3” at the bottom of a picture of himself in his Minnesota Vikings uniform. Addison, of course, wears No. 3.
His usage this season has been spotty, so it was easy to draw the conclusion that the phrase was tied to his usage. Addison told reporters Monday that “Free 3” is a phrase he has used for years and had nothing to do with his role in the offense. (Hat tip to the dean of the Vikings beat, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, for tweeting this out.)
Regardless, Addison’s usage this season is worthy of discussion.
The Vikings’ No. 2 wide receiver has only 14 receptions (on 23 targets) for 231 yards with a touchdown in five games, having missed victories over San Francisco and Houston in Weeks 2-3 because of an injury to his right ankle sustained in the opener against the New York Giants.
Addison also missed a portion of training camp after suffering a left high ankle sprain in mid-August during a joint practice in Cleveland.
There are a few factors to consider when it comes to Addison’s production:
Could either of the ankle injuries remain a problem? That seems unlikely because Addison has not been listed on the injury report, but that doesn’t mean there might not be soreness that is slowing him. Addison had three receptions for 35 yards on four targets against the Giants before leaving in the third quarter. He has played in four games since and has three games with three receptions and one with two. He has been targeted 4, 8, 4 and 3 times.
Addison, the Vikings’ first-round pick in 2023, led Vikings’ wide receivers last season with 70 catches on 108 targets for 911 yards with a team-leading 10 touchdowns. However, he played all 17 games as a rookie, and No. 1 receiver Justin Jefferson missed seven games because of a hamstring injury and most of an eighth because of a chest injury. During Jefferson’s seven-game absence, Addison had 35 receptions on 53 targets for 437 yards and four touchdowns. He had an average of five catches per game with Jefferson out and 3.5 with Jefferson playing.
The Vikings have cut way back on their passing attempts. Last season, Minnesota finished fourth in the NFL with 631 attempts, or 37.5 per game. This season, with Sam Darnold having replaced Kirk Cousins, the Vikings entered Monday tied for last in the league with 190 attempts, or 27.1 per game. The commitment to running the ball — the Vikings are averaging 26.4 rushing attempts per game, as opposed to 23.1 last season — means there are fewer passes to go around.
Jefferson leads the Vikings with 41 receptions on 60 targets for 646 yards with five touchdowns in seven games. Running back Aaron Jones is second with 22 catches and tight end Johnny Mundt and Jalen Nailor are tied with Addison for third with 14 catches. Jefferson has 5.9 receptions per game, while Addison is at 2.8.
Nailor, the Vikings’ No. 3 receiver, has played in two more games than Addison and has three fewer targets, two fewer yards receiving and two more touchdowns. Nailor also has five receptions of 20-plus yards, compared to four for Addison.
The Vikings will get back another key piece to their passing game on Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts, when tight end T.J. Hockenson plays in his first game of the season after recovering from a torn ACL and MCL suffered late last year.
It will be interesting to see what Vikings coach and play-caller Kevin O’Connell does moving forward. The move from Cousins to Darnold has impacted O’Connell’s play calling, but so has the fact that Jones provides a threat out of the backfield that the Vikings did not have in O’Connell’s first two seasons.
The season-ending injury suffered by left tackle Christian Darrisaw last Thursday is likely to result in O’Connell having Darnold get the ball out quicker. Darrisaw is one of the best blind-side protectors in the NFL, and Darnold’s tendency to hang onto the ball will become a bigger issue, if adjustments aren’t made in the passing game.
Will those adjustments result in more touches for Addison or will his second NFL season continue to be underwhelming?
AN EMOTIONAL NIGHT
Marc-Andre Fleury’s start in goal on Tuesday night for the Wild will be anything but ordinary.
The future Hall of Fame goaltender, who has announced this will be his final season, will make one last start in Pittsburgh, where his NHL career began.