Jordan Addison, Vikings
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Vikings wide receiver Jodan Addison
The Minnesota Vikings have a bevy of moves slated to set the table for the start of NFL free agency next week, yet Jordan Addison‘s future remains in question.
After another run-in with the law in January, Addison’s fifth-year option has become complicated for Minnesota. The talent is undeniable. He’s averaged 885 yards receiving and totaled 22 touchdowns in 46 career games.
However, off-field concerns have become a perennial issue for the 24-year-old receiver.
The Vikings are facing an $18 million decision to make on Addison, exercising the fifth-year option that would keep him under contract through the 2027 season. Minnesota could also try to extend Addison at around $30 million a year, the going rate for some of the league’s top receivers like Tee Higgins, Jalen Waddle and DeVonta Smith.
Meanwhile, the Vikings are also at a crossroads with Jalen Nailor, poised to reach free agency on Wednesday, March 11. Nailor filled in admirably when Addison served a three-game suspension for a DUI-related offense to start the 2025 season. He has potential suitors willing to give him more opportunities than he’s had in Minnesota and is viewed as a capable No. 2 wide receiver.
Nailor is a much more affordable option with less baggage than Addison, who could become a valuable trade asset if he does not fit the Vikings’ long-term vision.
Sports Illustrated’s NFL insider Albert Breer appraised the Vikings’ upcoming moves surrounding some of the biggest names buzzing before free agency and called Addison’s status a “wild card.”
Vikings Don’t Want to Lose Jalen Nailor, Insider Says
Jalen Nailor
GettyJalen Nailor during the Vikings’ 2023 season opener.
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis came away from the NFL Scouting Combine with intel on Nailor’s pending free agency, which is expected to be lucrative for the 2022 sixth-round pick.
“More than 10 teams are eyeing Vikings receiver Jalen Nailor, according to league sources,” Lewis wrote on March 3. “Nailor recently turned 27 and will be one of the more coveted free-agent wide receivers next week. Even though he has caught only 69 NFL passes and never reached 450 yards in a season, multiple evaluators think he has the potential to become a priority signing… One NFC executive posited that he could see Nailor producing an 80-catch season in the near future.”
Lewis added that the Vikings don’t want to lose Nailor, a prospect that wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell “pounded the table” for back in 2022. However, Nailor’s market is going to be competitive, which makes the decision to keep him require a look at Addison’s future in Minnesota.
“The Vikings don’t want to lose Nailor. The coaches — especially receivers coach Keenan McCardell — have watched him progress into one of their best developmental stories. He can absorb a complex playbook. He is a willing run blocker. He possesses vertical speed, and he displays separation ability, too,” Lewis said.
“Nailor’s contract will match that level of production. He could be in line for a three-year deal worth an average annual value of between $12 million and $15 million, league sources said. By comparison, Giants receiver Darius Slayton signed a three-year contract worth $36 million a couple of seasons ago.”
Jordan Addison’s In-Season Behavior More Harmful Than Latest Encounter With Law Enforcement
In January, Addison was arrested by Seminole Indian Police and charged with trespassing. The charges were later dropped, seemingly leaving Addison off the hook for what was his third incident involving law enforcement since entering the league in 2023.
While Addison is two years removed from his DUI arrest in Los Angeles, he has pushed the Vikings’ patience with his behavior, especially coming off suspension during the 2025 season.
In Week 5, Addison missed a team meeting that led to him being benched during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns in London. Addison redeemed himself, catching the game-winning touchdown from Carson Wentz in the final minute of action.
It was a microcosm of Addison’s time in Minnesota, where his performance on the field has made up for his off-field behavior.
Addison did not face any further discipline from the team, but he surely made the decision to extend him much more complicated over the past 12 months.