Amid all the quarterback rumors around the Minnesota Vikings lately, and the maneuvering they've been doing to get under the salary cap as the new league year approaches, other prominent storylines from recent months have naturally fallen by the wayside.
The Vikings have some big decisions to make regarding wide receiver Jordan Addison. The May 1 deadline to pick up his $18 million fifth-year option is creeping closer. Looking beyond that, even after a down 2025 campaign, he could be in line to draw $30-plus million per year in a contract extension.
With all the off-the-field issues Addison has had, even if the most recent now appears to be much ado about little or nothing, that kind of financial commitment could go wildly awry if he can't stay out of trouble away from the field.
Free agent market could revive trade interest in Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison
In a lengthy look at free agency before the official window for teams to negotiate with outside free agents opens, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler pointed to multiple wide receivers who are in line to have multiple suitors.
Indianapolis Colts (for now, anyway) wide receiver Alec Pierce is at the top of the heap there, and Fowler suggested he is "poised to make at least $27 million per year on a new deal" with several suitors in the mix. Romeo Doubs, Mike Evans, Rashid Shaheed, and Wan'Dale Robinson were also mentioned by Fowler, with multiple teams reportedly in the mix for each of those guys as well.
When it comes down to it, a team or two that needs a notable upgrade at wide receiver stands to be left out of the game of free agency musical chairs. Some of those same teams would have to be considered unlikely to meet the Philadelphia Eagles' lofty asking price to acquire A.J. Brown.
And with that a note from Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, in response to a general question about the Vikings in a recent mailbag post he did, lands as relevant.
"Jordan Addison is the wild card to me, given his contract situation."
As Breer concisely noted, Addison's contract situation attaches a notable layer of uncertainty to him amid all the other business the Vikings have on their plate.
The Vikings could, theoretically, take advantage of a potential renewed trade market for Addison and wash their hands of those contractual decisions before they come. Teams who are unable to sign a free agent wide receiver they want can fill their void at the position without having to make a multi-year commitment, or even necessarily having to commit to Addison beyond next season.
Of course, the idea of trading Addison, if calls about him come with or without free agency dominoes falling, depends entirely on how the Vikings view him. Maybe they're willing to pick up that fifth-year option, with openness to a contract extension if an upgrade at quarterback fosters a rebound in his production next season.
But if an "offer the Vikings can't (shouldn't) refuse" comes, Addison could be in another uniform fairly quickly after the free agency frenzy opens up.