Post by Purple Pain on Sept 21, 2023 11:00:47 GMT -6
Less KJ and more Addison? Or not quite yet?
And ... Osborn:
Sam Ekstrom: Has the Moment Arrived For Jordan Addison to Usurp K.J. Osborn?
...
And ... Osborn:
Sam Ekstrom: Has the Moment Arrived For Jordan Addison to Usurp K.J. Osborn?
Let’s be clear about something right off the bat: Jordan Addison is not Justin Jefferson. And K.J. Osborn is not Bisi Johnson.
Those were the main characters in the Minnesota Vikings’ 2020 production of Who’s the WR2? Yet it’s difficult not to get the sense that, once again, a prominent understudy receiver is about to find himself under a brighter spotlight.
Historically, it hasn’t taken long for the franchise’s most talented receivers to make their presence felt quickly. Randy Moss barged into Week 1 of 1998, immediately displacing perennial 1,000-yard receiver Jake Reed, and proceeded to tear the league apart. Percy Harvin scored touchdowns in his first three games. Stefon Diggs averaged over 100 yards per game in his first four starts. And Jefferson emerged with 175 yards in his first start and Griddy’d straight past the aforementioned Johnson and Adam Thielen to be the team’s most dangerous receiver.
In short, these first impressions have usually aged well. That’s why Addison’s early returns have purple faithful buzzing.
Given 36 and 40 snaps, respectively, in the Vikings’ first two games, Addison has shown off his downfield ability twice with two of Minnesota’s three longest plays from scrimmage this season. His 39-yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers displayed his underrated straightline speed that pundits doubted after a good-not-great Combine. His 62-yarder in Philadelphia showed the same, but with a little sprinkle of elusiveness at the end of the play.
Not bad for a WR3 workload.
Addison ranks 29th out of 88 receivers in yards per route run through two weeks. Aside from out-of-nowhere rookie Puka Nacua — who may be the only receiver on the Los Angeles Rams roster, researchers are still confirming — you could make a case Addison has been the league’s best rookie wideout thus far.
“Really both of his touchdowns now have kind of come on looks where he’s able to get behind the defense with his explosiveness, but then he’s also catching some balls underneath, he’s catching and running,” said head coach Kevin O’Connell after last Thursday’s game. “His versatility kind of pairing with J.J., and K.J., and T.J. [Hockenson] and Josh [Oliver] and some of the 12s. He just continues to show up. He’s growing every single time he steps on the grass in our offense.”
The only question now is: When do you give him a promotion?
Those were the main characters in the Minnesota Vikings’ 2020 production of Who’s the WR2? Yet it’s difficult not to get the sense that, once again, a prominent understudy receiver is about to find himself under a brighter spotlight.
Historically, it hasn’t taken long for the franchise’s most talented receivers to make their presence felt quickly. Randy Moss barged into Week 1 of 1998, immediately displacing perennial 1,000-yard receiver Jake Reed, and proceeded to tear the league apart. Percy Harvin scored touchdowns in his first three games. Stefon Diggs averaged over 100 yards per game in his first four starts. And Jefferson emerged with 175 yards in his first start and Griddy’d straight past the aforementioned Johnson and Adam Thielen to be the team’s most dangerous receiver.
In short, these first impressions have usually aged well. That’s why Addison’s early returns have purple faithful buzzing.
Given 36 and 40 snaps, respectively, in the Vikings’ first two games, Addison has shown off his downfield ability twice with two of Minnesota’s three longest plays from scrimmage this season. His 39-yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers displayed his underrated straightline speed that pundits doubted after a good-not-great Combine. His 62-yarder in Philadelphia showed the same, but with a little sprinkle of elusiveness at the end of the play.
Not bad for a WR3 workload.
Addison ranks 29th out of 88 receivers in yards per route run through two weeks. Aside from out-of-nowhere rookie Puka Nacua — who may be the only receiver on the Los Angeles Rams roster, researchers are still confirming — you could make a case Addison has been the league’s best rookie wideout thus far.
“Really both of his touchdowns now have kind of come on looks where he’s able to get behind the defense with his explosiveness, but then he’s also catching some balls underneath, he’s catching and running,” said head coach Kevin O’Connell after last Thursday’s game. “His versatility kind of pairing with J.J., and K.J., and T.J. [Hockenson] and Josh [Oliver] and some of the 12s. He just continues to show up. He’s growing every single time he steps on the grass in our offense.”
The only question now is: When do you give him a promotion?
...
No free passes are given out in the NFL, however, especially after an 0-2 start. Addison’s potential stardom merits a snap increase, which could serve two purposes.
One, it increases the verticality of Minnesota’s offense with a take-the-top-off receiver Osborn simply is not. Through two games, Addison’s depth of target (16.5) is tied with Darius Slayton for deepest in the league out of qualified receivers. If his presence on the field for another 25 snaps a game earns him one or two more deep throws, that could change an outcome.
Osborn crafted a niche thanks to his reliability in the short-to-intermediate game. Still, he’s never been terribly efficient from a yardage standpoint despite displaying toughness after the catch. His average depth of target has resided in the bottom half of the league for two consecutive years, and in turn his yards per route run has ranked 72nd out of 94 and 83rd out of 102, respectively. It’s okay to be the sure-handed short-yardage guy. There are lots of them in the league. But it’s a niche typically reserved for third receivers.
Two, Addison’s immediate ascension as a north-south threat could put Osborn back in the comfortable spot of running crossers against man coverage on third down while safeties do abrupt 180s to help on Addison. That’s always been Osborn’s strength. With Addison breaking the speed limit between the hash marks, Jefferson being the league’s ultimate intermediate threat and Osborn cleaning up underneath, the Vikings could have every level of the field occupied.
One, it increases the verticality of Minnesota’s offense with a take-the-top-off receiver Osborn simply is not. Through two games, Addison’s depth of target (16.5) is tied with Darius Slayton for deepest in the league out of qualified receivers. If his presence on the field for another 25 snaps a game earns him one or two more deep throws, that could change an outcome.
Osborn crafted a niche thanks to his reliability in the short-to-intermediate game. Still, he’s never been terribly efficient from a yardage standpoint despite displaying toughness after the catch. His average depth of target has resided in the bottom half of the league for two consecutive years, and in turn his yards per route run has ranked 72nd out of 94 and 83rd out of 102, respectively. It’s okay to be the sure-handed short-yardage guy. There are lots of them in the league. But it’s a niche typically reserved for third receivers.
Two, Addison’s immediate ascension as a north-south threat could put Osborn back in the comfortable spot of running crossers against man coverage on third down while safeties do abrupt 180s to help on Addison. That’s always been Osborn’s strength. With Addison breaking the speed limit between the hash marks, Jefferson being the league’s ultimate intermediate threat and Osborn cleaning up underneath, the Vikings could have every level of the field occupied.
... and neither is this Chris guy.