Jordan Addison’s Future in Minnesota Uncertain After Latest Off-Field Incident
The Minnesota Vikings may have caught a break on Wednesday evening-but not the kind they were hoping for. While the team is still waiting to see if defensive coordinator Brian Flores lands a head coaching job elsewhere, the more immediate relief came from news that wide receiver Jordan Addison’s recent trespassing charges were dropped, according to Hillsborough County court records.
Addison had been arrested earlier this month by the Seminole Indian Police Department after an incident at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. According to reports, he was asked to leave a restaurant inside the casino and allegedly refused, prompting police to repeatedly escort him toward the exit before ultimately arresting him. With the charges now dropped, it appears Addison won’t face league discipline stemming from the incident.
That’s the good news. The bad news? This latest run-in might have been the final straw for a Vikings organization already walking a tightrope with the talented but turbulent wideout.
Addison, the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has been a major contributor on the field. In his first three seasons, he’s hauled in 175 receptions for 2,396 yards and 22 touchdowns-numbers that place him firmly among the league’s top No. 2 receivers. Lining up opposite Justin Jefferson, Addison has been a reliable weapon and, on several teams, could easily be a WR1.
But for all the on-field production, Addison’s off-field track record is growing harder to ignore.
His rookie year included a headline-grabbing arrest for driving 140 mph in a 55 mph zone on I-94 in St. Paul.
That incident was largely brushed off as a youthful mistake, and Addison stayed out of the spotlight once the season kicked off. But the concerns resurfaced in a far more serious way when he was arrested for driving under the influence in Los Angeles-just weeks after teammate Khyree Jackson tragically died in a crash involving an impaired driver.
The fallout from that arrest was immediate. Addison missed the first three games of the season due to suspension and was later benched for the opening quarter of a game in London after reportedly going off the grid during the team’s travel preparations. Whether those issues directly contributed to a dip in performance is hard to say, but Addison did post seven drops this season-matching his total from his first two years combined.
Now, with the trespassing case behind him but still fresh in memory, the Vikings are reportedly weighing their options. According to reports, the team is actively shopping Addison to receiver-needy contenders like the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. The buzz is that Minnesota could be looking to move him for a second-, third-, or fourth-round pick-possibly in a package deal involving another receiver like Ricky Pearsall.
At the heart of the issue is Addison’s contract. As a first-round pick, he’s eligible for a fifth-year option that would keep him under team control through the 2027 season.
On paper, that gives the Vikings leverage. They could exercise the option, give Addison a “prove-it” year in 2026, and either extend him or flip him for value next offseason.
But the latest incident may have accelerated the timeline. Rather than gamble on another offseason headline, Minnesota appears ready to cut bait now.
It’s a tough call. Trading Addison now means selling low on a player who, when locked in, is a dynamic playmaker.
It also risks thinning out a receiving corps that’s already facing uncertainty. Jalen Nailor, a restricted free agent, could step into a larger role, but he’s never posted more than 500 yards or 30 catches in a season.
Banking on Nailor to replace Addison’s production feels optimistic, especially given the current state of the offense.
There are other variables at play, too. Quarterback J.J.
McCarthy is entering his second season, and the Vikings may need to lean heavily on their pass-catchers to help him develop. Tight end T.J.
Hockenson’s contract situation remains unresolved, and there’s always the chance the team could be breaking in a new quarterback entirely in 2026. In that context, moving on from a proven receiver-even one with baggage-carries real risk.
Ideally, Addison would’ve stayed out of the headlines, put together another strong season, and boosted his trade value heading into 2027. But that’s not the reality the Vikings are facing. Instead, they’re staring down a decision they didn’t want to make, forced to weigh talent against trust.
Right now, it looks like Jordan Addison’s time in Minnesota is winding down-not because of what he’s done between the lines, but because of what’s happened away from them.