The Green Bay Packers want to climb the NFC North’s hierarchy this season, but one of the things that will impact them the most isn’t even happening in Green Bay.
That could be taking place over the Mississippi River as J.J. McCarthy prepares for his first season as the starting quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings. While the Vikings have relied on established quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold in recent years, McCarthy is projected to become their starter after the team spurned Aaron Rodgers and let Darnold leave for the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.
It’s a lot of pressure on a 22-year-old who spent his entire rookie season rehabbing from a knee injury. But it’s enough to make Packers fans laugh as McCarthy was dealt a bad hand on Tuesday afternoon.
The NFL has announced WR Jordan Addison has been suspended without pay for the first three games of the 2025 regular season for violating the NFL’s Substances of Abuse Policy.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 5, 2025
Addison is permitted to participate in all training camp activities, including preseason games without… pic.twitter.com/xK6NAYzWXH
Jordan Addison’s Suspension Puts More Pressure on Packers Rival J.J. McCarthy
The NFL announced on Tuesday that wide receiver Jordan Addison has been suspended for three games for violating the NFL’s Substances of Abuse Policy. The suspension stems from a July 2024 arrest where Addison was caught asleep behind the wheel on a Los Angeles freeway. While Addison pleaded no contest to a lesser charge to resolve the case, it left him open to punishment from the NFL and will keep him sidelined for the start of the 2025 season.
Addison can continue to participate in all training camp activities, including preseason games, but it leaves a massive hole in the Vikings’ lineup for the first three games and deprives McCarthy of one of his top targets.
McCarthy has had an up-and-down training camp in Minnesota and lost the services of star receiver Justin Jefferson to a hamstring injury and tight end T.J. Hockenson to a lower body injury. While Jefferson and Hockenson are expected back by the season opener against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 8, the Vikings are also hoping that left tackle Christian Darrisaw will be able to play after tearing his ACL and MCL last October.
This is all before the news of Addison’s suspension. In his first two seasons, Addison has totaled 133 catches for 1,786 yards and 19 touchdowns and developed a strong rapport with McCarthy during training camp. Missing games against the Bears, Atlanta Falcons, and Cincinnati Bengals also isn’t ideal, as McCarthy takes over a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
It’s not the optimal situation for the Packers, who won’t face the Vikings until they visit Lambeau Field on Nov. 23. But it could be just enough to make the Vikings stumble out of the gate and open a window of opportunity for Green Bay to finish higher next season.