Jordan Addison can now officially be slotted with a suspension discount. The league is sitting him down for the first three weeks of the season.
Addison (pictured) last summer faced DUI charges in Los Angeles after he was found asleep in his Rolls-Royce. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in July. The league today suspended him for violating its substance abuse policy.
Addison will be allowed to practice and play in the preseason, but he’ll need to stay away from the team entirely for the first three weeks of the season (he’ll be eligible to return the Monday after their third game).
The suspension could slow somewhat his development with J.J. McCarthy.
While Addison is out, it presumably will result in a few more balls being thrown in the direction of Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson. Jalen Nailor should replace Addison in the starting lineup, becoming a modest option for the early games.
When Addison was sidelined last year, Nailor scored in three straight games. Nailor caught a 21-yard touchdown at the Giants (after Addison left with an injury). With Addison out the next two weeks, Nailor caught 3 passes for 54 yards and a touchdown against San Francisco and 3 catches for 31 yards and a touchdown against Houston.
At the same time, Nailor’s success last year came with the Vikings ranking in the top 5 in passing yards (258 per game) and passing touchdowns (35). That’s unlikely with a first-year starter at quarterback.
While Addison will miss the first three games, he might be one of the top 30 receivers selected in some drafts anyway. He averaged 4.2 catches for 58 yards in his 15 games last year, with 10 touchdowns.
—Ian Allan