The Addison question...

I think Addison was late or missed a practice in Europe. 

I dont see a clear cut WR2 on this roster besides Addison...TJH is going to be a year older, Aaron Jones Sr is really getting more Sr and I can see JJM's weapons taking a nose dive without JA.

I dont think Addison is in a position to go all Bengals on the Vikings.

I wouldnt trade him now, it would be selling low.

Yes, he was benched for the 1st quarter of the Browns game for missing a walk through. We talked about it quite a bit on this board and Twitter had a field day with it. 

The way I see it, the Vikings don't have to make a decision yet on Addison and so they shouldn't. They'll have to make a decision on Nailer though. Considering the uncertainty surrounding Addison, I think the Vikings have to pay Nailer. My fear is that some team is going to see him as a WR2 and pay him well over market. If I'm a team in need of a WR2, this is exactly the kind of player I'm looking for.

purplefaithful wrote:
I think Addison was late or missed a practice in Europe. 

I dont see a clear cut WR2 on this roster besides Addison...TJH is going to be a year older, Aaron Jones Sr is really getting more Sr and I can see JJM's weapons taking a nose dive without JA.

I dont think Addison is in a position to go all Bengals on the Vikings.

I wouldnt trade him now, it would be selling low.

They almost made it sound like the team couldn't get ahold of him and didn't know where he was. He missed the team walk through before making a reappearance. It's like his third strike since being drafted. He's a really good player, but does that negate the off field stuff and can you trust him at the salary you're likely going to have to pay him? The other side of that coin is Nailor, who will be an UFA this offseason and will come at significantly less cost. I think if I were the Vikings, I'd call some of the teams drafting early like the Titans, Raiders, and try to gauge interest and get some kind of package deal.

I don’t see any real reason to trade Addison this offseason. You can just trade him next offseason if the financials aren’t working out.

I think whatever value advantage you could get out of trading him this offseason instead of next offseason are erased by having question marks at the receiving positions going into the season where you want JJM to grow into the forever QB you want him to be.

I think an ideal WR offseason looks something like:
• Don’t trade Jets
• Sign Addison’s 5 year option with the idea that after year 4 he can pursue a trade that works for him and the team.
• Sign Nailor to a 3 year $24M contract.
• Maybe draft a TE to replace losing Hockeson (or Hockenson takes a restructure that pays him more in alignment with his production)

I just don’t think his off the field issues are that big of a deal. He’s not beating women up. He’s not throwing weights at coaches. He’s not making a big stink about things.

medaille wrote:
I don’t see any real reason to trade Addison this offseason.  You can just trade him next offseason if the financials aren’t working out.

I think whatever value advantage you could get out of trading him this offseason instead of next offseason are erased by having question marks at the receiving positions going into the season where you want JJM to grow into the forever QB you want him to be.

I think an ideal WR offseason looks something like:
• Don’t trade Jets
• Sign Addison’s 5 year option with the idea that after year 4 he can pursue a trade that works for him and the team.
• Sign Nailor to a 3 year $24M contract.
• Maybe draft a TE to replace losing Hockeson (or Hockenson takes a restructure that pays him more in alignment with his production)

I just don’t think his off the field issues are that big of a deal.  He’s not beating women up.  He’s not throwing weights at coaches.  He’s not making a big stink about things.

More or less agree with everything here, especially the bold.

And (sorry for the side-bar) but where/if does Tai Felton fit into any of this discussion?

Wasn't he like a 3rd round pick?

Can't they get him out there some on offense as the year sunsets?

medaille wrote:
I don’t see any real reason to trade Addison this offseason.  You can just trade him next offseason if the financials aren’t working out.

I think whatever value advantage you could get out of trading him this offseason instead of next offseason are erased by having question marks at the receiving positions going into the season where you want JJM to grow into the forever QB you want him to be.

I think an ideal WR offseason looks something like:
• Don’t trade Jets
• Sign Addison’s 5 year option with the idea that after year 4 he can pursue a trade that works for him and the team.
• Sign Nailor to a 3 year $24M contract.
• Maybe draft a TE to replace losing Hockeson (or Hockenson takes a restructure that pays him more in alignment with his production)

I just don’t think his off the field issues are that big of a deal.  He’s not beating women up.  He’s not throwing weights at coaches.  He’s not making a big stink about things.

I like your plan, but something to consider is the 2027 receiver draft class is shaping up to he historically good on talent and depth, so this might be the more ideal offseason to move him in a trade as a lot of receiver needy teams would likely figure they could just draft a better receiver and not give up anything in trade compensation. If I could get a high second round pick this year and a sweetener in the form of a player or late round pick, I'd probably make that deal. For shits and giggles;

If the Raiders offered us their second round pick and TE Michael Mayer, would you make that deal?

purplefaithful wrote:
And (sorry for the side-bar) but where/if does Tai Felton fit into any of this discussion?

Wasn't he like a 3rd round pick?

Can't they get him out there some on offense as the year sunsets?

You'd certainly hope we see more of Felton in a receiver roll these last few weeks. Another strange pick that we just don't know what we have almost a full year in. It's a common theme with this organization..

purplefaithful wrote:
And (sorry for the side-bar) but where/if does Tai Felton fit into any of this discussion?

Wasn't he like a 3rd round pick?

Can't they get him out there some on offense as the year sunsets?

That was one of the stranger picks in recent years (that is saying something). Seems like a good gunner on special teams other than that ??

Smart organizations that know what they are doing don't draft special teamers in the 3rd round. Felton may develop into a player but so far he hasn't shown the ability to live up to his draft status, but then that's so far typical for this front office.

supafreak84 wrote:

I like your plan, but something to consider is the 2027 receiver draft class is shaping up to he historically good on talent and depth, so this might be the more ideal offseason to move him in a trade as a lot of receiver needy teams would likely figure they could just draft a better receiver and not give up anything in trade compensation. If I could get a high second round pick this year and a sweetener in the form of a player or late round pick, I'd probably make that deal. For shits and giggles;

If the Raiders offered us their second round pick and TE Michael Mayer, would you make that deal?

I don’t think that’s the worst trade in the world.  You’re pretty much depending on replacing Addison with your 2nd round pick you got for him.  The TE doesn’t do anything for me.  I think I’d rather go through all of 2026 knowing JJM had quality receivers to work with and then trading him for a one round worse draft pick.

purplefaithful wrote:
And (sorry for the side-bar) but where/if does Tai Felton fit into any of this discussion?

Wasn't he like a 3rd round pick?

Can't they get him out there some on offense as the year sunsets?

He was WR5 on a team who just released its WR4 two weeks ago. I was not a fan of taking a WR in the 3rd round, with what I thought were bigger needs at RB and DB, but I also said at the time that this was going to be a redshirt season for him with Jefferson, Addison and Nailer ahead of him on the depth chart. Bottom line is it's far too early to say anything at all about Felton.

MaroonBells wrote:

He was WR5 on a team who just released its WR4 two weeks ago. I was not a fan of taking a WR in the 3rd round, with what I thought were bigger needs at RB and DB, but I also said at the time that this was going to be a redshirt season for him with Jefferson, Addison and Nailer ahead of him on the depth chart. Bottom line is it's far too early to say anything at all about Felton.

Still would like to see him out there some on offense these last 3 games. 

Clearly McCardell pounded the table for the kid, I wish the RB coach would have gotten his way in that way deep RB class last year. Maybe Tutten or Skattebo would be a Viking today.

purplefaithful wrote:

Still would like to see him out there some on offense these last 3 games. 

Clearly McCardell pounded the table for the kid, I wish the RB coach would have gotten his way in that way deep RB class last year. Maybe Tutten or Skattebo would be a Viking today.

It's a head scratcher for sure, especially considering the quality of the RBs still on the board at that point. I'll give McCardell the benefit of the doubt on this one...for now.

Like maybe get some touches for Felton, but I think it’s more about sharpening JJM than it is about Felton.

Not too worried about his lack of playing time when we’ve really only used WR1-3 when they’re all pretty legit. That said, shouldn’t really be an issue to get him a couple snaps on WR screens or jet sweeps or something.

MaroonBells wrote:

It's a head scratcher for sure, especially considering the quality of the RBs still on the board at that point. I'll give McCardell the benefit of the doubt on this one...for now.

You can give it, that’s nice of you, but the Vikings recent draft picks have in no way earned the benefit of the doubt :P

Addison has little incentive to sign a deal with us this offseason, unless the Vikings overpay based on What Could Have Been and not, What Was. If they sweeten it enough to keep him around a few more years I won’t complain. He’s excellent.

Nailor and Hockenson I’d try to move on from. Hock makes way more than his production is worth. The problem is there just aren’t many good tight ends, and even fewer who come available. Outside of a rookie phenom, I think upgrading at TE in ‘26 is unlikely. So can we achieve roughly the same results (not much frankly) for less money? It looks like Hockensons dead cap would be $12M if we cut him if I’m reading it right. Ouch…

Nailor has been solid this year but how much do you pay a guy for 500 yds and a couple TDs? Speedy screams “Signs A Fat Deal With A Bad Team” to me. And that might be a great move for him to go somewhere with more opportunities and money. 

If somehow Addison does get traded, for continuity’s sake I guess I’d keep Hockenson around for one more year over anointing Nailor WR2. I’m just not super high on his potential anymore.

pattersaur wrote:

You can give it, that’s nice of you, but the Vikings recent draft picks have in no way earned the benefit of the doubt :P

Addison has little incentive to sign a deal with us this offseason, unless the Vikings overpay based on What Could Have Been and not, What Was. If they sweeten it enough to keep him around a few more years I won’t complain. He’s excellent.

Nailor and Hockenson I’d try to move on from. Hock makes way more than his production is worth. The problem is there just aren’t many good tight ends, and even fewer who come available. Outside of a rookie phenom, I think upgrading at TE in ‘26 is unlikely. So can we achieve roughly the same results (not much frankly) for less money? It looks like Hockensons dead cap would be $12M if we cut him if I’m reading it right. Ouch…

Nailor has been solid this year but how much do you pay a guy for 500 yds and a couple TDs? Speedy screams “Signs A Fat Deal With A Bad Team” to me. And that might be a great move for him to go somewhere with more opportunities and money. 

If somehow Addison does get traded, for continuity’s sake I guess I’d keep Hockenson around for one more year over anointing Nailor WR2. I’m just not super high on his potential anymore.

Contracts are never about what you've done. They're about what you're expected to do in the future. That's why I think the second part of your sentence is exactly right. He'll sign with a team who thinks he can be a WR2 and he'll get paid like it. 

I think our only hope on Nailor is if he has a little vision and can see a future where the Vikings do not extend Addison and have one of the top young QBs in the NFL. My office right now is jammed with NFL players who've made such a decision.

purplefaithful wrote:
And (sorry for the side-bar) but where/if does Tai Felton fit into any of this discussion?

Wasn't he like a 3rd round pick?

Can't they get him out there some on offense as the year sunsets?

He has been working hard on special teams.  Has the speed, and is a football player.  Just hard to crack the lineup with Jefferson, Addison and Nailor ahead of him.