Dec 20, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
He’s certainly not into his prime anymore, and the Minnesota Vikings may not absolutely need a WR3.
However, trading for Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen — for better or worse — actually makes sense for the Vikings and has become an official piece of the rumor mill courtesy of The Athletic.
Thielen, 34, injured his hamstring a few weeks ago, hit injured reserve, and should be conveniently healed around the league’s trade deadline, which is 12 days away. With the Panthers playing miserably and perhaps on the cusp of a fire sale, Carolina sending Thielen to Minnesota checks some boxes.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini sized up NFL trades around the bend and featured Thielen as a candidate for Minnesota this week. “Vikings add Adam Thielen, sending the Panthers a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick,” she wrote as a faux prediction.
“The 34-year-old — who is expected to practice this week — would return to his native Minnesota and to a franchise he didn’t intend to leave. Back in purple and gold, he can man the slot position for Kevin O’Connell’s offense. But this feels like the Panthers doing the Vikings (and my fantasy team) a favor.”
Some team can likely procure his services for a late-round pick, probably a 6th- or 7th-Rounder. A few outlets have whispered a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers for Thielen’s services — which, too, makes sense — but a Vikings reunion should take the cake.
Why? Well, Thielen’s old team possesses a 5-1 record, tabulated against a formidable schedule. Minnesota is likely heading to the postseason, barring a total collapse. The Panthers, on the other hand, stink and recently offloaded cornerback Troy Hill because they want to “get younger.” Thielen is not young, and if the Hill release is tangible evidence, Thielen could be next via outright release or trade.
Then, Thielen could aid the Vikings in a playoff push and function as the WR3 or WR4. When Thielen left in 2023, Minnesota didn’t want to keep his $20 million cap hit on the books, and he was in line for WR2 duty. Minnesota later drafted Jordan Addison for WR2, and that was that.
Current WR3 Jalen Nailor has played admirably in spots, but inside a playoff push, Thielen, if fully healthy, is more consistent and a better route runner. He’s dependable and proved in Carolina that he can still cook with a dependable veteran quarterback throwing the rock.
Thielen to Minnesota is realistic. Finishing his career with the Vikings would be rather poetic.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.