Friday mailbag: Jordan Addison's misstep

Vikings receiver was cited for speeding. We address that and much, much more regarding camp in the mailbag

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Quick note before we get into the mailbag: A lot of the questions from today’s mailbag came from the PI Subscriber Chat. If you want to join, I’ll be asking for mailbag questions and doing a gameday chat there, plus there’s lots of other thoughtful subscribers having good Vikings-related discussions. It’s our own little non-insane Vikings social media channel. Click here to join the chat.

Anyway… It wouldn’t be the beginning of camp if we didn’t have a last-minute surprise story popping up. This year it’s Jordan Addison being cited for going 140 mph in a 55 zone. There are some questions on that but also a lot more about camp opening up so let’s get right into it…

Stephanie… How about a little chat about Jordan Addison...

All I can really say is that the NFL offseason between minicamp and camp is an IQ test and Addison failed. Reckless, senseless behavior that could have gotten someone killed. What a terrible introduction to the community he’s going to represent. He acted selfishly and outrageously dangerous and deserves to face ramifications, whether that’s from the team or league. Henry Ruggs killed someone doing something similar. Jeff Gladney killed himself and another person speeding. This isn’t something to shrug off and blame on his youth. It’s a very bad start to his first season. He has to learn from this incident and grow up quickly because doing things like that isn’t just a speeding ticket, it’s a one-way ticket to jail or worse. Maturity matters in the NFL and his lack of it here is concerning.

Walleyepike….Receiver room suddenly in crisis, ie., where are the adults? Do we place an emergency call to Cris Carter or send Addison down to see Henry Ruggs in Nevada State Prison?

Justin Jefferson and KJ Osborn are consummate professionals and Keenan McCardell is an NFL legend. You can only hope he will get the picture by the way they carry themselves.

Andrew… At the end of this season, which iteration of the Vikings secondary do you think will wind up being considered better, the 2013 or the 2023 version?

The 2013 secondary was an abomination. The Vikings were minus-132 points of Expected Points Added in ‘13, which was second worst in the NFL and 33 points worse than last year. Imagine being that much more incompetent than last year. Is it weird that I think the secondary has a chance to be…not awful? We just don’t really know yet but Byron Murphy Jr. is a lot better than Chandon Sullivan and there’s a decent shot that some combination of Evans/Booth Jr./Blackmon and the safeties play well under Brian Flores. Of course, we have seen the downside to betting on unproven players in 2020 so who knows. The secondary is really interesting as we go into camp though.

Dan…Does it hurt the Vikings' interior offensive line to not have scary interior pass rusher to practice against? Does that make it a lot harder to evaluate the offensive line before we see them in week 1?

If we believe players when they say iron sharpens iron then I suppose the reverse would also have to be true. The Vikings’ interior D-line has solid proven veterans in Dean Lowry and Harrison Phillips but they do not have a Vita Vea or Chris Jones look-a-like, though I’m not sure it would really matter either way when it comes to elite players. They had Sheldon Richardson in 2018 and got clobbered by opposing defensive tackles like Akiem Hicks and Aaron Donald. The success or failure of the interior offensive line really hinges on whether they can improve dealing with stunts and blitzes and if Bradbury continues his solid play and if Ingram takes a big step forward technically in pass pro. Where not having an interior pass rusher hurts them most is, well, in interior pass rushing. I can’t figure out why they haven’t put more emphasis on that spot in recent years. I would hate pressure up the middle if I was a quarterback.

Skol Viking 44… Where do you think the RB compensation issue is headed?

My guess is nowhere. It became the topic of the day because it’s July — and to everyone’s credit lots of folks shared creative ideas but they have a Collective Bargaining Agreement and neither the league or players are going to amend that just to make sure running backs get more money. To be honest, I don’t see the problem. The whole sport works this way. Centers don’t make as much as left tackles. Safeties don’t make as much as corners. There’s a finite amount of dollars that teams can spend and they distribute it based on what these players are worth. It’s unfortunate but running backs simply haven’t proven teams wrong for doing it this way. I also don’t believe it will degrade the sport or cause players to switch positions at early ages and leave us without any good running backs or whatever. Only like 1% of college players make the NFL and playing RB is still a super valuable position in high school and college so there will always be kids playing in the backfield getting scholarships and NILs. They just have to focus on making as much money as possible during their college careers and rookie deals in endorsements and other off-field ventures because I don’t see this changing.

OldDrummer55… How many of our offensive line players attend off season improvement camps to get better? Who are the respected OL gurus out there?

The most notable offensive line get-together is O-Line Masterminds, run by Duke Manyweather. That has huge attendance from current and former players. Duke is one of a handful of offensive line trainers out there and is really widely respected. I can’t say for sure how many Vikings offensive linemen went there or work with him but almost everyone has an offseason trainer at this point. I don’t think it’s lack of offseason effort that has caused Vikings linemen to struggle. It’s just really, really hard to get five guys at an impossible position to play well at once in a league full of 32 teams with a non-mobile QB….unless you spend a lot money, of course.

Scott… Quarterbacks on Netflix was great as it provided a different perspective on Cousins that we aren't always privy to. He came off as passionate and hardworking, amazing qualities for a QB. One comment after the playoff lose still has me scratching my head. Even with hindsight and knowing that the check down didn't work he still couldn't say that he should have thrown it to the best receiver in the NFL with the season on the line.

I think with the media questioning his decision on that play he was rationalizing it. He threw the jump ball to Jefferson in Buffalo and it worked for one of the best plays I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s also typical in some ways. If he makes that decision on a second down in the second quarter, we’re fine with it but there has often been a little rigidness to his play that has frustrated coaches/teammates/fans. The whole, “it was the right read,” thing. We all know that any read that goes short of the sticks there is the wrong read and that’s been backed up by the ex-QBs who broke down the play on YouTube or Twitter.

Agree with your assessment that it showed everything that goes into being an NFL quarterback and why there’s only about 15 dudes who can pull it off year after year.

Freki…Hey Coller, follow up question: Always curious about Vikings IOL takes, because...yeah. In your answer to @BIG_dannn's question on Bradbury, you said, "I do think he’s a better fit in shotgun than under center..." Could you expound on that take (and maybe extend the idea to our starting guards)? What makes him better in shotgun? If it's a long answer feel free to answer in next week's mailbag or fans only. Thanks!!

Sure. If Cousins is under center, there is no room for error. Kenny Clark is only a few feet from the quarterback and he wins the rep, it’s over. There’s no chance at a recovery. There is also a little more space to move back and get anchored before the collision, which may help him getting in position to make the block. Context also matters and I’m certain that opponents were game planning to attack the guards with their best pass rushers. But I don’t want to act like he didn’t play better and it was all circumstances. He definitely seemed like a lot of work went into improving.

Scott How many podcasts have you done since PI started? Its got to be close to 1000 - 3+ years and I can't recall many days off. Any particular episodes stick with you?

Tomorrow will be exactly 1,100 podcasts. There’s so many memorable ones. The postgame reactions to Buffalo and Indy last year. Getting Morten Andersen and Cris Carter on the show. There was one episode where I talked to my favorite writer Chris Jones (not the football player) about Kirk Cousins. That was a totally unique show. I did a series where guests talked about their five favorite Vikings and Patrick Reusse’s list was great and hilarious. But it’s really about the friends we made along the way. Think about all the people who have given their time to Purple Insider as guests. I’m greatly indebted to a lotta folks.

Never Played Madden… It’s Madden week, very important to me :-). Do any coaches ever admit to playing Madden?

I can’t think of any particular coach who has said, “Oh yeah, I created my offense from playing Madden as a kid,” but I have to imagine we’re at the point where the young head coaches like Kevin O’Connell must have played Madden growing up. I’ll have to ask him at some point.

Anonymous PI Subscriber… Are there any players that may surprise us with their impact on the team?

It’s hard to surprise you guys since y’all know so much about the team but guys that the outside world has never heard of….I’d nominate Josh Metellus and Kene Nwangwu. They both have opportunities to earn legit rotational roles.

Jonathan… Did the Netflix series “Quarterback” make Cousins more likable? I have a newfound respect for him after watching it. No one can doubt his toughness and/or commitment again

It definitely had an impact on his image, locally and across the NFL. You really understand how he’s squeezed every ounce of talent out of his god-given skills. But, did people think something else about him before? Did they think he was soft or not committed? I’ve always said that a lotta people criticize Kirk for the wrong things because the stuff that have caused him not to get over the hump are things he can’t help. He can’t make himself faster, stronger-armed or more dynamic. Maybe you could argue he could make himself cheaper but he’s always been at market price for a top 10ish quarterback. The explanation is almost too simple so we look for other stuff.

Thomas… To what extent are negotiations affected by prior dealings and relationships between agent/representatives and general managers? Might this be a factor in the failure of Dalvin Cook to secure a new contract? How about Danielle Hunter, who previously signed a "team-friendly" deal? And who are the agents for TJ Hockenson and Justin Jefferson?

There are absolutely agents that general managers like working with more or less. Whether it would impact a deal probably depends on the situation. It’s possible that a team would avoid signing a free agent with a certain agent if they really didn’t like dealing the person and I’m sure that negotiations are way more frustrating if the agent isn’t being reasonable or communicating. Just like with your colleagues, there’s definitely a preference. Trying to pin down exactly how much the agents in Cook, Hunter, Hockenson and Jefferson’s situations is tricky business. The Vikings planned to cut Cook all along, as Alexander Mattison recently let slip a bit in an interview with Yahoo! Sports. Hunter’s agent signed a bad deal in the first place and his side seems to want compensation for outplaying his contract in the past, which is a tough sell for the team, who is only thinking about the future. As far as Jefferson and Hockenson’s agents, you can look them up if you’d like but I don’t think it gives us any hints toward whether they’re going to sign deals or what the negotiations are going to be like. For star players like that it’s never easy, they just have to work through it and get something done.

Daniel… making my first journey to US Bank this fall, any pre or post game must sees at the stadium or nearby that you all would recommend?

My biggest recommendation is to walk the Stone Arch Bridge. No matter how many times I’ve gone down there, I’m always amazed at the view of the city and the river. The Mill City Museum is right there. Plus, the Vikings put on a great show pregame. Just go to the stadium and you’ll have fun. There are two restaurants I really like downtown: Hen House for breakfast/brunch and Hell’s Kitchen for dinner (unless you’re really feeling like being a big spender, then Murray’s or Manny’s) are obvious picks. There’s a cool record store in downtown called Electric Fetus that’s worth stopping into if you’re a music guy. If you’ve got time to go a little outside the city, Minnehaha Falls are a must. Target Field is fairly close if you want to tour that. Lots to do.

Rzuppelli… Good day sir, any idea why it seems like every media outlet jumps through hoops to praise the 49ers for everything? I get that Shanahan is a great play caller, but their draft was suspect and they gave up a ton for RB. Also, how many QB injuries is enough for bad luck to not be the only culprit?

The 49ers have one of the three best top-to-bottom rosters in the NFL outside of the quarterback and the best offensive mind in football, which certainly helps their case. They have made the Super Bowl and NFCC game twice with suspect quarterback play, which is pretty darn impressive considering the Vikings have one playoff win in the last five years. So I see why they have earned the benefit of the doubt. That said, when analysts act like the QB thing will just get sorted out and anyone can thrive under Shanahan, I’d like to direct them to the Nick Mullens years. Purdy’s run was great but it also might be Case Keenum-ish and we still have no idea of Trey Lance can play or not. It could all unravel pretty quickly if that QB situation goes sideways. But I’m not sure we hear a lot of skeptics of any team in July.

Thomas… In evaluating position battles and the team in general, do you believe that the joint-practices will offer you better insight than the preseason games? Also, how much sunscreen do you have to buy for camp?

Yes, absolutely. It’s not even close these days. The first two quarters of preseason games used to be worth watching closely and the results often mattered when it came to Player X vs. Player Y. But now Kevin O’Connell (rightfully) mostly plays guys who aren’t going to make the team. We saw from T.Y. McGill last year that even putting on a show in a preseason game won’t swing the tide. They are going to look much closer at those joint practices, which are honestly more intense than any preseason game I’ve ever covered. I usually don’t have to buy my own sunscreen, the team puts out a bunch of bottles in the media room along with a nice bevy of snacks.

Lancer… Is the battle for the number two receiver a done deal with Addison the de facto starter, assuming K.J. Osborn is number three, or does a guy like Jalen Nailor get a shot for the spot?

I don’t think that’s decided at all. Addison has to earn that. This team loves KJ Osborn. I sat down with receivers coach Keenan McCardell earlier this offseason (90s NFL humble brag) and he told me that the offense is very difficult for wide receivers and KJ’s intelligence is his cheat code. I would also say that WR2 vs. WR3 might be a little more of a fantasy football concept in this case. We know Justin Jefferson is the main target every single game and whoever ends up getting open because of JJ is WR2 for that particular day. Whether Jalen Nailor gets a shot at it will depend on how Addison comes along. If he’s struggling to pick up the offense, Nailor definitely has a chance to be in the mix because he knows it from last year.

@LowenergyBen What receivers not named Jefferson, Addison, Osborn, and Nailor make the team? I see those 4 as locks, Powell likely makes it too but I have no idea who’s rosterable past him.

Me either, to tell you the truth. I’m sure they are going to give Jalen Reagor a chance but signing a punt returner like Powell might not be a great sign for him. I’d guess one of those two guys makes it and then there’s a wide open contest between Trishton Jackson, Lucky Jackson, Thayer Thomas, Garrett Maag, Malik Knowles and Cephus Johnson. If I had to guess, I’d say that Trishton makes it. He beat out Ihmir Smith-Marsette for a practice squad position last year and was a regular target.

@FierSilas Where are Brian Asamoah and Lewis Cine lining up? Without EK, who is taking over the leadership role at LB? Lastly, who is playing nickel?

I’m going on the assumption that Asamoah is going to start alongside Jordan Hicks, which means he’ll be at inside linebacker and Brian Flores will move him around and use him as a blitzer as needed. I’m less sure about Cine. If he struggles to pick up the defense, we’ll be seeing him line up on special teams and Cam Bynum and Josh Metellus will do the safety work. As far as leadership, I’m guessing that’s why they kept Jordan Hicks. Bryon Murphy Jr. is going to be the starting nickel corner and the battle for the other spots will be between Akayleb Evans, Andrew Booth Jr. and Mekhi Blackmon. Or maybe a mystery corner, depending on how things go.

TheDude… If you had to bet on 3 players who will surprise us on the upside during spring training, who would pick?

I’ll take some shots in the dark and go with Thayer Thomas, William Kwenkeu and Jaquelin Roy. My logic is that at least one receiver is going to emerge, Kwenkeu seemed to be a favorite of the coaching staff as a down-the-roster guy last year and Roy looked big at minicamp. You never really know who’s going to make a name for themselves, that’s what makes it interesting.

@alexjjlarsen How critical is the talent of the WR2 for a superstar like Jefferson to continue at his ridiculous pace? (I'm thinking about how Randy Moss benefited from having Cris Carter opposite, etc.)

Extremely. It cannot be overstated. When PFF looked into this a few years ago, they found that the performance of WR2 and WR3 were even more connected to playoff success than WR1 because teams put so much emphasis on stopping one guy. If you can make them pay for double teams and rotating coverage toward one person, it’s a massive advantage. We saw last year that Hockenson was big against the Giants when Jefferson was the main focus of their defense. Basically, if Jordan Addison is good, it’s a cheat code.

@headcoach21 Is this the more intriguing the Vikings have been before a training camp in while?? Lots of new faces that will play a lot of snaps

Absolutely. If I throw out 2020 because COVID made that camp into a nightmare for everyone, this is by far the most intriguing since I started covering the team in 2016. There are so many questions to be answered and positions that are unsettled. There seems to be equal chance that players emerge and we think good things are on the way as that they’re walking out of camp with lots of holes and major concerns.

@JGmama Every Minnesota fan realizes how great of a WR Jefferson is. Does the rest of the country acknowledge this? Why doesn’t he have any nation sponsors? I don’t live in Minnesota maybe he is everywhere there but he doesn’t exist where I am.

Oh, yeah everyone knows he’s the best receiver in the league. I guarantee he’s the first receiver taken in every fantasy league across the country. I’m not sure if he does the most commercials and TV interviews but last year solidified his position at the top. Even Madden just rated him a 99 overall as the top receiver in the NFL. I don’t think it’s a bad thing that he’s a low-key celebrity.

@kyleshaner NFL teams have been revealing a lot of throwback uniforms recently. Which ones are your favorites?

As great as the Tampa Bay Bucs uniforms are, the orange is objectively ridiculous looking. The Seahawks are the best by far. Those uniforms were perfect and never should have been changed. And I’m very much behind the Vikings throwbacks as well.

@dmoney0919 Training camp always provides opportunities and risks for all players of course, but name a few players that you could see having the biggest opportunity to elevate their role and few that are at risk of a role reduction.

On the offensive side, Jalen Nailor, Kene Nwangwu and Ty Chandler are the most obvious candidates to get better opportunities than last year. On defense, Lewis Cine, Brian Asamoah, Josh Metellus, Patrick Jones and everyone who plays cornerback. Role reduction is a tough call since there aren’t many players left from last season. Cam Bynum if Lewis Cine wins the job outright.

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