Jordan Addison is unhappy, the Minnesota Vikings have come back down to earth and there are several teams not named the Kansas City Chiefs that could use a productive, young wide receiver to catapult themselves into playoff conversations.
But is it realistic the Vikings part way with their disgruntled receiver just a year-and-a-half into his NFL career? Probably not. But if Addison’s antics become cancerous to the locker room, it may be a problem the Vikings avoid as the trade deadline approaches.
Addison has just 14 catches, 231 yards and a touchdown catch as his numbers are down from his breakout rookie season. It doesn’t help that Justin Jefferson is healthy and Jalen Nailor has stepped up as a No. 2 target when Addison misses a couple games to an ankle injury.
Maybe Addison’s just frustrated, understandably. But if he does want out and the Vikings do make him a trade piece, there will be no shortage of calls being made to the Vikings front office to make a deal.
Here’s who should consider reaching out if things boil over in Minneapolis.
4 teams who should be rushing to trade for Vikings WR Jordan Addison
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers desperately need help at wide receiver thanks to injuries
Tampa Bay should be the first team calling about Addison. In a matter of minutes, the Buccaneers lost Mike Evans to a hamstring injury and Chris Godwin to an ankle injury against the Baltimore Ravens.
Baker Mayfield is having a phenomenal season and the Bucs can salvage the injury uncertainty to its wide outs with Addison’s addition. His production would drastically increase from what he’s done so far this season as he’d be the clear No. 1 target until Tampa Bay gets healthy.
And Mayfield will get him the ball. This should be a no-brainer for Tampa Bay’s front office and even if the Vikings don’t say they’re going to trade him, they should still find out what it would take to make a deal.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers have long needed a true WR2, and Jordan Addison fits
The Steelers could bolster their passing attack if they added Addison alongside George Pickens. Though it may do more harm than good in terms of locker room management. Pickens is a loose cannon and Addison has shown he doesn’t mince words either when things aren’t going well.
Yet from a football perspective, the two together could be dangerous combination for Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. The Steelers can have a nasty wide receiver room if Addison is on the block so be on the lookout for Pittsburgh to be a player in the Addison sweepstakes.
Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin, while talented, aren't cutting it and would have a greater impact further down the depth chart. Addison ;eft Pittsburgh on bad terms during his college days, as he transferred to USC after an award-winning season with the Panthers. Perhaps this would be his chance to made amends.
Dallas Cowboys would the big-name addition Jerry Jones has avoided for so long
The Dallas Cowboys won’t make this move because they clearly couldn’t care less about doing anything to change the trajectory of this season. But if Jerry Jones decided to not be stubborn and do what needs to be done, adding Jordan Addison would be a wise decision here.
Addison and CeeDee Lamb together would most likely keep Dak Prescott from turning the ball over like he’s done as of lately and would give the offense some life. The Cowboys can’t run the ball so maybe going “all-in” (see what I did there) on the pass game might be the move.
But again this is more wishful thinking than anything because Jones would rather be frugal than logical.
San Francisco 49ers are without Brandon Aiyuk for the season, but would the Vikings trade Jordan Addison to an NFC team?
This is a longshot. They just signed Brandon Aiyuk to a long term contract so they aren’t worried about adding another. But with Aiyuk going down with a season-ending ACL injury and Jauan Jennings out with a hip injury, wide receiver help might not be a bad idea.
The 49ers did draft Ricky Pearsall in the first round and he made his NFL debut after being shot this offseason. But don’t be surprised if the 49ers pull off a crazy move before the deadline as they look to remain alive in playoff contention.