Could the Vikings trade Jordan Addison?

It would be an understatement to say the Vikings standout WR Jordan Addison's career hasn't gone exactly as expected for the team through his first three seasons. Addison has dealt with suspensions, injuries, off-the-field issues, and many different quarterbacks throwing him the ball. Throughout all of this, he has scored 24 touchdowns in 46 games played in Minnesota. The question still stands, though: what are the Vikings going to do with Jordan Addison?

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The 5th-Year Option

One of the main reasons Jordan Addison's future is up in the air right now revolves around his upcoming 5th-year option decision with the Vikings. Minnesota has until May 1st to decide if they want to pick up the option, worth $17.5M for Addison’s 2027 season.

If you look at the stats, you would think it’s a no-brainer, but when a player has missed multiple games due to suspension, been arrested three times (although one of the charges was dropped), and even been benched for a quarter of a game for getting “lost” in London and missing a walk-through, it becomes a bigger decision than it has to be.

It would be very surprising if the Vikings chose not to pick up the 5th-year option, and the most likely scenario for that happening would be if Addison were traded before they have to make the decision.

Jordan Addison Trade Options

It is hard to say what Jordan Addison’s trade value sits at going into his fourth NFL season. Addison is averaging 52.1 yards per game in his 46 appearances in the NFL. He has also recorded 24 touchdowns, which averages out to scoring in 52% of his games, which is very impressive. Addison has not eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark yet in his career, but if he were to play full seasons every year or have consistent quarterback play, it is more than likely he would surpass it. That’s not even accounting for him playing alongside one of the most dominant receivers in the game, Justin Jefferson.

Looking at some receiver trades in the past, in the 2020 offseason the Minnesota Vikings traded WR Stefon Diggs and a seventh-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for the 2020 22nd overall pick, a fifth- and sixth-round pick, and a 2021 fourth-round pick. This was a haul for a receiver who was unhappy in Minnesota and had shown he could be a true WR1. With that being said, Diggs had only reached the 1,000-yard mark twice at this point in his career.

The most likely situation to us resembles two in-draft trades that occurred in 2022. The Tennessee Titans sent WR AJ Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 18th overall pick. In that same draft, the Baltimore Ravens sent Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to the Arizona Cardinals for the 23rd overall pick.

Now, will Addison go for a first-rounder? That depends on how desperate a team is for a receiver. We think the most likely scenario of Addison being moved comes in the draft between the No. 25–40 overall pick, in the late first to early second round.

Is there still hope for Addison in purple?

Not all hope is lost between the Minnesota Vikings and their standout receiver. A lot of this talk stemmed from Jordan Addison’s most recent arrest, where the charges ended up getting dropped.

The Vikings can afford to pick up the $17.5M option, and it makes the most sense to get as many years and as much value out of your first-round pick as you can, even if you do not plan to extend him. A trade going into his fifth season makes more sense, assuming his value will be maxed out as the Vikings look for a better quarterback option. At the same time, you are taking a risk and hoping he is able to stay out of trouble during that time.

Overall, it has been quite a disappointment to see such a talented player get into trouble after spending a first-round pick on him, but “character” is part of the scouting process you have to get right.

The most surprising part is that guys in the locker room haven’t gotten through to him. The Vikings have had a great locker room for many years now, especially in the receiver room, with guys like Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, who are great mentors that Addison should have learned from.

Addison has a long way to go in earning trust again, but he is only 24 years old and has made some stupid mistakes. There is still time for him to grow as a person, and hopefully that will be in Minnesota for many years to come.

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