Announcement: Vikings Closing In On $10 Million Deal To Reunite With Former WR On A Small Contract

Almost all Minnesota Vikings supporters are now familiar with Adam Thielen’s narrative. Playing for the purple and gold for nine full seasons, Thielen established himself as one of the greatest wide receivers in Minnesota Vikings history.

After parting ways with the Vikings throughout the offseason, Thielen concluded his time with the franchise. The Vikings requested that Thielen accept a pay cut, but he turned them down. As a result, he signed a $25 million, three-year contract with the Carolina Panthers. Could Thielen be realizing that things aren’t always better on the other side after a difficult season with the Panthers, when he won only two games in 2023?

Minnesota Vikings’ beat writer hints at Adam Thielen potentially returning to the team

When Thielen started uploading videos of himself working out and receiving passes from Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the talk of Thielen returning to Minnesota heated up once more. Fans were not just enthused and nostalgic for the past as a result of this, but over the weekend, a recent nugget from a beat journalist for the Minnesota Vikings went viral on social media.

Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune, who spoke with KFAN, said that both Thielen and the Vikings might be interested in making a return to Minnesota if Thielen is cut by the Panthers in the coming weeks. Even though it’s still a long shot, it’s definitely worth looking into. especially for a team where Jordan Addison might miss time and where there are questions about the wide receiver depth chart.

Although Adam Thielen has been working out with J.J. McCarthy, he is still bound to Carolina under contract. And I suppose I wouldn’t be shocked if he ended up getting cut in Carolina. Frankly, it would make some sense for him to return. And if that ever came up, I believe [the Vikings] would be somewhat interested in that. I believe that if it were to arise in the relationship, he might consider that as a possibility at some point.

Ben Goessling (Star Tribune via KFAN)

This is when the practicalities start to get a little complicated. Over The Cap estimates that benching Thielen would only save $1,750,000 million in cap savings but result in a $8,167,000 million dead cap hit. Considering what we’ve seen in the NFL, it’s doable, but the savings are minimal. especially for a talented wide receiver like Thielen, who still managed to record over 1,000 receiving yards in the previous season.

It would seem more sensible for the Panthers to either release Thielen the following offseason or trade him to a Super Bowl contender at the trade deadline. For the Panthers financially, both of these choices make far more sense.

Ultimately, Thielen’s training sessions with McCarthy and McCarthy’s encouraging remarks about the potential franchise quarterback will just stoke the flames among supporters. You can be sure that the Vikings will call one of the greatest wide receivers to ever play for the team if Thielen ever becomes available on the open market.