Jordan Addison Just Won Big Without Even Playing in Week 1

The Minnesota Vikings are getting ready to open the season against the Chicago Bears in Week 1. But while there is plenty of excitement around J.J. McCarthy’s debut, he’ll be down one key weapon in wide receiver Jordan Addison.

Addison was suspended by the NFL for the first three games of this season after violating the league’s substance abuse policy via a July 2024 arrest for driving under the influence. While Addison will be watching the opener from home, he still found a way to win big thanks to a division rival’s decision to pay one of their young receivers.

Jameson Williams’s New Contract Means Big Bucks for Jordan Addison if He Cleans Up His Act

The Detroit Lions agreed to a three-year, $83 million contract extension with Jameson Williams on Saturday evening and the deal should have grabbed the attention of Addison’s camp. The 12th overall pick in the 2022 draft got off to a slow start in his career, making 25 catches for 395 yards and three touchdowns in his first two seasons, but earned his contract after a breakout 2024, where he caught 58 passes for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns.

One good season was enough for the Lions to back up the Brinks truck over the weekend, and it should be enough to have Addison seeing dollar signs. The Vikings selected Addison with the 23rd overall pick the following season, and he made a big impact as Minnesota’s No. 2 receiver. After catching 70 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie season, he had a solid encore with 63 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns despite missing two games with an ankle injury this offseason.

Entering the third year of his rookie contract, Addison could be looking for more than the $27.6 million annually the Lions gave Williams. But it comes with the caveat that Addison must clean up his act off the field.

Addison’s first run-in with the law occurred in the summer of 2023 when he was cited for driving 140 mph down I-94 in St. Paul for “a dog emergency.” While Addison stayed clean during the season, he was arrested in July of 2024 when he was found asleep in his vehicle as he was blocking a highway lane near the Los Angeles International Airport. He later pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of “wet reckless” and received probation, but it put his long-term future with the Vikings in jeopardy.

The good news is, Addison has made a string of solid choices this offseason. Justin Jefferson has taken on Addison in a mentorship role, and Addison has leaned into his chemistry with McCarthy on the field, even making a diving catch in the first preseason game against the Houston Texans last month.

Addison has three weeks to collect his thoughts and be ready for his season debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin on Sept. 28. But if he comes out of the gates hot, he could be heading to the negotiation table for a lucrative contract extension at the end of the season.

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