Vikings Planning Extensions For Two Key Offensive Players, Per Report

The Vikings appear to be planning on keeping right tackle Brian O'Neill and wide receiver Jordan Addison around as part of their long-term future, according to a nugget from ESPN's Kevin Seifert.

Buried in a recent story by Seifert on a rather quiet offseason from the Vikings and new interim general manager Rob Brzezinski was a seemingly notable statement regarding the future of two members of the team's offensive core.

"Brzezinski said last month that he envisioned the Vikings as a franchise that looks to 'draft and develop and to retain our core, and supplement in free agency.' That served as a reminder that teams don't just use cap space on free agency, but also — and often more importantly — on signing their existing players to contract extensions. Right tackle Brian O'Neill and receiver Jordan Addison are among the upcoming deals the Vikings have budgeted for."

O'Neill has always made sense as an extension candidate. The 2018 second-round pick — who will become the Vikings' longest-tenured player if Harrison Smith joins C.J. Ham in retirement — has been a model of consistency for close to a decade now. He's played in 124 of a possible 133 regular season games in his eight-year career, has made two Pro Bowls, and hasn't earned a PFF grade below 70 since his rookie season.

O'Neill turns 31 in September and appears to have plenty of good football out in front of him. An extension this offseason could free up $14 million in cap space for the Vikings, according to Over The Cap. Frankly, it's a little surprising that hasn't happened just yet.

Brian O'Neill | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

The Addison situation is far trickier. On the field, the 2023 first-round pick has been a great fit as the No. 2 receiver next to Justin Jefferson, especially over the first two seasons of his career. He uncharacteristically struggled with drops last season and was hurt by the Vikings' woeful quarterback play, but his talent remains obvious. He's also only 24 years old, meaning he's just entering his prime.

The issue lies with Addison's off-the-field behavior. He was arrested for probable cause trespassing at a Florida casino back in January, which marked his third arrest in the three years since he was drafted. The first two were driving-related incidents, including a 2024 DUI arrest that led to a three-game suspension to begin last season. He was also suspended for a quarter by the Vikings in just his second game back after missing a walkthrough session during Minnesota's trip to London.

Whether or not the Vikings can fully trust Addison to stay out of trouble is unclear. But it seems like they're optimistic he can put these issues behind him. With Jalen Nailor departing in free agency last week, the Vikings' cupboard would be pretty bare at wide receiver, outside of Jefferson, if Addison were to end up elsewhere. There's been trade speculation involving Minnesota's WR2, but the Vikings presumably would prefer to see him running down deep balls from Kyler Murray this fall.

Although Addison is now eligible for a contract extension for the first time, there's no reason that has to happen this offseason. He still has one more ultra-cheap year on his rookie deal. The next step would be for the Vikings to pick up his fifth-year option for the 2027 season at around $17.5 million. And if he avoids off-the-field incidents and plays well this year, an extension next offseason would make a lot of sense.

Seifert's entire story about the Vikings' modified approach this offseason — resetting their finances after a couple years of aggressive spending, but still trying to build a contender — is worth a read.