Vikings Rumors: Adam Thielen Sadness, Daniel Jones, New Roster Battle
We started the weekend of the Minnesota Vikings rumor mill with three times, which can be read here.
Vikings rumors are never short on intrigue, and these are three more for the week.
VikingsTerritory tracks and uplifts all purple rumors from the week, a straightforward process as the hearsay doesn’t take days off.
So, this is the second edition of the purple rumor mill for the week.
Rumor: Adam Thielen may retire after this season.
Adam Thielen said to The Athletic’s Joe Person recently about the upcoming season as his last: “It could be, yeah. I mean, I told you guys that at the end of the season — like every year — you look back and you say, ‘What left do I have to give to this game?’ I’ve talked to my family, and they wanted me to keep playing, and so it will be the same process.”
“Not going to think about that right now, I’m being the best football player that I can possibly be, and you have to have that mindset in this league. And then once the season’s over, you know, evaluate, see where we’re at – see where the team’s at…and figure it out. But definitely winding down my career. But excited about this year and what could happen.”
The Panthers seem to be turning the corner as a sturdy franchise, with Bryce Young’s development trending positively, so with any luck, perhaps Thielen can visit the postseason one more time before hanging it up.
On the whole, he very vividly acknowledged the possibility of 2025 as his last ride.
Rumor: Daniel Jones had no real interest in staying with the Vikings in 2025.
Daniel Jones sticking around in Minnesota apparently wasn’t all that close to occurring.
NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero claimed this week that Jones knew he could contend for a QB1 job in Indianapolis, a job probably not available to him behind J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota.
Pelissero said:, “It sounded like the Vikings thought Jones was coming back, but they just got the sense late that he was really not convicted about coming back to Minnesota, ended up taking a little bit less in terms of guaranteed money, from the Colts to end up in Indianapolis.”
“You’ve formed this type of system and environment in which any quarterback coming in has played well. ‘We think we can do different things. If you don’t want to be here, we’re not going to hold you.’ So, they pulled the offer to Daniel Jones.”
This mirrors intel from VikingsTerritory‘s sources in March, who told the site that Jones never got an offer from the Vikings.
Jones wants to compete for the big job. He can do that with the Colts and not the Vikings.
Rumor: The WR3 on Minnesota’s depth chart is suddenly up for grabs.
PurplePTSD’s Kyle Joudry mentioned the WR3 topic on Tuesday: “So far, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah hasn’t shown much of an appetite for paying a WR3. After all, K.J. Osborn walked away for a measly $4 million on a single-season deal. One wonders if the trend will continue, especially due to the scant cap space in 2026.”
“Jalen Nailor is the current WR3, but the Vikings gained some leverage in whatever contract talks could be occurring due to the addition of Tai Felton at No. 102 in the 2025 NFL Draft. Does the plan involve leaning on Nailor for another season before allowing him to head elsewhere in 2026?”
Other websites, like Pro Football Network, have recently insinuated that Nailor could actually be traded, a wild take.
Joudry added, “Nailor has the inside track to be the WR3 in 2025, but the Vikings don’t seem particularly likely to bring him back unless the price is super team-friendly. Tai Felton gives them a young guy to lean on and a free-agent addition like Rondale Moore functions as a good reminder that upside depth receives can be added in free agency for relatively cheap.”
“Don’t be surprised if Jalen Nailor ends up being traded away. A trio of players from 2022 — Ed Ingram, Vederian Lowe, and Andrew Booth Jr. — have already been shipped out. A Nailor deal would push the total to four before any of those players hit the fourth year in their rookie contracts.”
Felton can reasonably contend for the WR3 job — that’s what 3rd-Round receivers do — but Nailor trade talk probably isn’t realistic.
Packers Fans Outraged by Vikings Rumor
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