Jordan Addison had 133 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the Minnesota Vikings’ first two games last year despite only playing 56% of the snaps in Week 1 and 69% in Week 2. The first two weeks set the tone for his rookie year, where he finished with 911 yards and 10 touchdowns. Still, he deferred credit for his strong first-year performance to Justin Jefferson.
“I say 18,” he said in late September when I asked him about his early success. “The defense is focusing on him, and me just having one-on-one backside.”
Addison is being deferential to Minnesota’s superstar, but the Vikings put him in a position to succeed after drafting him 23rd-overall last year. They had Jefferson lined up opposite him, T.J. Hockenson as a secondary receiving threat, and Kirk Cousins as an established quarterback under center. They also had their best offensive line in years, and Brian Flores coordinating the defense.
“Knowing that was real comforting,” said Addison last September. “Knowing that they already got an established quarterback and then a No. 1 receiver.”
The Vikings believe in nurture over nature. Ultimately, the players they draft must be talented, but the front office and coaching staff want to put them in a position to succeed. Similar to why they believe J.J. McCarthy will thrive in their system and culture, they gambled on Addison in the first round, knowing they had put a positive structure around him.
Addison is under less pressure than McCarthy, whom the Vikings hope will become their franchise quarterback after trading up to take him 10th-overall. Still, Minnesota drafted Addison to replace Adam Thielen, a popular player and reliable receiver, which comes with meaningful pressure. But just as Addison’s presence helped Jefferson by alleviating some of the defense’s attention on him, Jefferson’s gravity allowed Addison to ascend as a rookie.
Now, Addison must take the next step in his second season.
“From Year 1 to Year 2, you get to go against a guy, most of the time, you’re trying to figure the guy out as you get more reps and stuff,” said Byron Murphy Jr., Minnesota’s best corner who has frequently lined up across from Addison in OTAs. “I just feel like he came back more explosive, more faster with his releases and all that already coming into OTAs.
“I just feel like he’s been working on his craft a lot.”
Jefferson is helping Addison with technical details. Addison is working on his releases off the line this offseason, and Jefferson is one of the league’s best route-runners. “What he tells me is, ‘Trust my feet,’” said Addison. “So basically, trust my legs within my routes, within my cuts, like just trust myself.”
Addison is still building confidence in the technical aspects of his game. At 5’11”, 175 lbs., he’s undersized for a receiver. Addison was a precise route-runner coming out of college, but he lacked catch strength and had trouble consistently winning battles when he had coverage company beside him. By working on his releases, he should be able to use his acceleration, dynamic steering, and sudden movements to separate from defenders in the open field.
“Last year, I wasn’t as confident in my releases,” Addison said at OTAs on Wednesday. “I wasn’t being decisive. I didn’t have no plan when I was coming up to the line. I was kinda just freelancing, doing what I do, trying to make something work. But now, it’s my focus.”
The second-year receiver has worked with Vikings receivers coach Keenan McCardell, a 16-year NFL veteran, to develop a plan at the line of scrimmage. Addison credits McCardell for improving his game as a rookie. While coaching and playing with multiple receiving threats helped Addison in his first year, he’ll be missing Cousins, a vital element of his success from last year.
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