If ESPN.com’s Bill Barnwell is correct, Adam Thielen will be back in purple and gold by Week 1.
Barnwell predicted the wideout-needy Minnesota Vikings to land the now-Carolina Panthers wide receiver in a deal for two late-round draft picks potentially before Tuesday’s cutdown deadline.
Thielen, of course, spent his first nine years with the Vikings and accrued 685 catches for 6,682 yards and 55 touchdowns while making the Pro Bowl twice. He signed a three-year contract with the Panthers after the 2022 season and restructured his deal for one year and a salary-cap hit of $10.1 million.
Why Are The Vikings Predicted To Land Adam Thielen?
You definitely can go home again, especially in the NFL. Plus, the Vikings could use a player of Thielen’s caliber — especially since he can get up to speed quickly on coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense, since Thielen was on the roster in O’Connell’s first year, 2022.
Rondale Moore is out for the year, Jordan Addison is suspended three games and Jalen Nailor is banged up, which means Thielen to the Vikings makes a lot of sense, since the veteran wideout is clearly on the trade block.
“A reunion between Thielen and his former team seems too easy,” Barnwell wrote. “The Vikings are struggling with injuries at wide receiver and a potential Jordan Addison suspension. The Panthers want to see what they have with their younger wideouts, and Hunter Renfrow’s emergence in camp as a potential fourth or fifth option could squeeze a roster spot for Thielen, who doesn’t play special teams.”
Barnwell noted Thelen’s $6.25 million base salary, which could be tough for the Vikings to take on, even though Carolina would like to salvage his tenure by at least bringing in a couple of picks.
“The Vikings obviously would prefer the Panthers cut the 34-year-old and pick him up for free, but Carolina already paid Thielen a $1.5 million roster bonus earlier in the offseason, suggesting it expected to have him.”
The Panthers could have their cake and eat it too with a trade, since they will free up $8.4 million in cap space if they trade him or release Thielen before Week 1. But it’s safe to assume Carolina will work out a move to rid itself of the veteran before Sept. 7.
“His salary isn’t yet guaranteed, but it will become so if he’s on the roster in Week 1, leaving the Panthers until then to make a decision,” Barnwell said. “If he does get released, he isn’t likely to get anything close to $6.25 million from another team, so he also is facing some uncertainty.”
What Are The Specifics Of An Adam Thielen Trade to Minnesota?
Barnwell predicted Minnesota to deal a 2026 sixth-round pick and a seventh-rounder in the 2027 draft for Thielen, since that cost would not be too exorbitant, especially after dealing defensive tackle Harrison Phillips to the New York Jets.
Barnwell predicted the Phillips trade would end up help the Vikings bring in Thielen.
“All sides involved probably would need to give a bit to make a mutually advantageous deal work. The Panthers would eat $1.5 million of Thielen’s contract, getting two of the three picks the Vikings got from the Jets in the Harrison Phillips trade in return,” Barnwell wrote. “Thielen would take a $1 million pay cut in return for having the remaining $3.8 million guaranteed.
“The Vikings cleared out almost exactly that much when they made the Phillips trade, allowing them to absorb what’s left of Thielen’s contract as part of the deal.”
