Three years ago, Adam Thielen and the Minnesota Vikings could not come to an agreement on his contract, leading to a parting of ways and the eventual selection of Jordan Addison in the 2022 draft.
Now, the two sides have a chance to make amends for a full-circle moment.
The NFL officially suspended Addison for the first three games of the 2025 season for an alcohol-related offense. While it is only three games, any time with a stunted offense to begin the season could be impactful on J.J. McCarthy‘s development through his first season as a starter.
Thielen’s name came up as the best possible option for the Vikings to explore as an Addison replacement for the first three games of the season due to “rumblings” of his interest in a reunion.
“There are rumblings around the league and around the Thielen camp that he would love to get back to Minnesota to finish his career,” SKOR North’s Phil Mackey said on August 5. “I think the Panthers would be open to it if they could get draft compensation for a guy who has served his time helping a young quarterback for a couple of years.
“He’s not the same guy he was five years ago, but if I’m looking for a reliable set of hands, a route-runner, a leader, a guy that has been working out with J.J. McCarthy in the offseason, and a red zone target too… If he’s comfortable where he is in his career and wants to play in Minnesota and play for a winner.. I would trade a sixth-round pick or later for him and get him back in purple.”
The Vikings have nine draft picks for next year’s draft and ample cap space to take on Thielen’s $6.27 million base salary of his contract.
Adam Thielen is the Ideal WR to Support J.J. McCarthy in Addison’s Absence
As the Vikings wide receiver depth chart stands, Jalen Nailor would assume the No. 2 receiver role in the offense, followed by either Rondale Moore, rookie Tai Felton or another depth receiver to fill the No. 3 spot.
Nailor is far from a bona fide No. 2 receiver, and the other options are far from proven either.
Thielen, who turns 35 on August 22, is in the final year of his contract with the Panthers, who drafted Tetairoa McMillan eighth overall to join fellow first-rounder Xavier Legette.
In his first season in Carolina, Thielen paced the Panthers with 103 receptions and 1,014 yards receiving, becoming just one of eight receivers age 33 or older to reach 100 receptions in a season.
Again, if Thielen is on board with a deal that would see him relegated to the No. 3 receiver role once Addison returns, it’s likely the best situation for all sides, given the chemistry is already there between Thielen and McCarthy.
Adam Thielen on J.J. McCarthy: ‘He’s Already Got It’
Thielen knows a thing or two about working with a young quarterback.
Helping Bryce Young take a significant step in his second season as a starter, Thielen has identified plenty of the soft skills needed to improve as a passer in the NFL, which he has already seen in McCarthy.
“He’s got all the things it takes to be a successful player in this league, and kind of the things that we talked about about how I’ve gotten to year thirteen, he’s already got it,” Thielen said in a July interview with KSTP. He’s got consistency, he’s got that mindset. He’s got all the skills to be able to play at a high level. So I’m really excited now, my second summer working with him, to see him get an opportunity, and to see what he does with the opportunity, because I see it. Now, on the field, just his mindset, and all the things that it takes to be to be a great core mechanism League, and I’ve been around a lot of great ones. He has everything you need, so I’m excited to see.”
-1753502078-q80.webp "There's More Than Meets the Eye With Adam Benak")