Remember when Minnesota Vikings superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson was held to just two catches on five targets for 27 yards against the Chicago Bears in Soldier Field last season? Well, time for that to happen again. The NFL has announced that they have suspended Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison without pay for the first three games of the 2025 season for violating the NFL’s Substances of Abuse Policy.
And guess what? The Bears’ Week 1 matchup happens to be against Minnesota on Monday Night Football in Soldier Field.
It’s Time to Strap Down Justin Jefferson Amid Jordan Addison’s Suspension
GettyIt was a hit-and-miss type of day covering Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson for the Bears in Soldier Field.
Addison got the best of the Bears last season in Soldier Field, catching eight balls for 162 yards and one touchdown. Chicago simply couldn’t contain him, but made up for it by locking down Jefferson and giving him fits the entire game.
Now that Addison isn’t in the equation for Week 1’s highly anticipated matchup, the Bears could do the impossible and hold Jefferson to zero catches.
Well, that probably won’t be the case, not because of the Bears’ lack of talent on defense, but the injury concern around star cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Johnson is going to miss “a few weeks,” according to general manager Ryan Poles, due to a leg injury he suffered during training in the offseason. However, head coach Ben Johnson believes there’s a chance for him to be ready for Week 1.
“There’s a scenario where he’ll be ready for Week 1,” Johnson said. “That’s really the target date. He’s working hard and diligently to get there for that. With those type of injuries, you just never know.”
Even with Addison out, the Bears need their shutdown corner to contain one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.
Can J.J. McCarthy Perform in Hostile Territory Without Addison?
One of the main storylines around the Bears-Vikings matchup will evidently be, “Can quarterback J.J. McCarthy perform in his first start without one of the team’s top weapons?”
That’s TBD, but one thing’s for sure: the Bears are not going to make it easy for him. New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is transforming the Bears’ defense into an aggressive, ferocious unit that prides themselves on making big plays.
“You have to pay the toll,” Allen said about being a part of the Bears’ defense. “You have to pay the price. It’s a privilege to be on this defense. Training camp is going to be difficult.”
There’s no room for error. No room for mistakes. Only room to make plays on defense.
With all the news surrounding how the Bears’ new-look offense will perform, what might end up as the bigger storyline in Week 1’s game against the Vikings is how the Bears’ defense fared.
And without Addison on the field, the Vikings might be in serious trouble. But it’s great news for a Bears team that hopes to capitalize on this opportunity.
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