When Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison agreed to a plea to settle his DUI case last month, it opened the door for the NFL to take disciplinary action against him.
The NFL did exactly that on Tuesday. Addison has been suspended three games for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. He will miss Minnesota’s games against the Bears, Falcons, and Bengals as a result.
Addison will be able to participate in the rest of training camp and he can play in the team’s three preseason games.
Addison agreed to a wet reckless charge that carries a fine and mandates the completion of two online courses in order for Addison’s probationary period to end after six months.
The Vikings have been practicing without Justin Jefferson due to a hamstring injury, but the word from the team has been that they are not worried about his Week 1 availability. If that should change, quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be working with a thin group of wideouts to kick off his first season as the team’s starter.
Linebacker Anthony Barr has retired.
The ninth overall pick in 2014 (who was taken while Aaron Donald was still on the board), Barr became a four-time Pro Bowl.
He spent eight years in Minnesota, before playing for the Cowboys in 2022. He returned to the Vikings in 2023. Barr didn’t play in 2024.
Barr, 33, finishes with 116 regular-season appearances, and 108 starts.
He made it to the Pro Bowl in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. He was a member of the Vikings team that lost to the Eagles in the 2017 NFC Championship.
Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson is out of practice today with an injury.
Hockenson was injured on Saturday and is out at least for today.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell referred to Hockenson’s injury as a “hip, leg, back -- whatever you want to classify it at,” via Judd Zulgad.
The Vikings are still without sixth-round rookie tight end Gavin Bartholomew, who is still on the physically unable to perform list with a back injury. They recently signed tight end Nick Vannett to help with depth at the position.
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s long wait for game action is set to end on Saturday.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said that the plan is for McCarthy to play against the Texans in Minnesota’s preseason opener. McCarthy has not taken a snap in a game since the preseason opener last season.
McCarthy reported knee pain after that game and wound up having season-ending surgery on a torn meniscus. Sam Darnold took over as the starter and helped the Vikings to 14 wins, but poor play in the final two weeks led to the Vikings going with McCarthy as their No. 1 for this year. Darnold signed with the Seahawks as a free agent.
McCarthy threw two touchdown passes in that preseason opener last summer and the Vikings wouldn’t mind similar productivity as long as it doesn’t come with another injury.
The Vikings have made a pair of roster moves on Monday.
Minnesota announced the club has signed tight end Nick Vannett and waived offensive tackle Marcellus Johnson.
Vannett, 32, spent last season with the Titans. He caught 17 passes for 135 yards with three touchdowns, playing all 17 games with 10 starts.
A Seattle third-round pick in 2016, Vannett has appeared in a total of 111 games with 53 starts for the Seahawks, Steelers, Broncos, Saints, Giants, Chargers, and Titans. He’s caught 108 passes for 1,012 yards with nine touchdowns.
The Vikings have a couple of injury concerns at tight end. T.J. Hockenson left Saturday’s practice early due to an undisclosed injury and Gavin Bartholomew has been on the physically unable to perform list with a back issue.
