Adam Thielen‘s second stint with the Vikings has come to an end. The veteran receiver was waived on Monday, per a team announcement. 
Thielen was inactive for yesterday’s loss despite being healthy. Instead of finishing the season buried down the depth chart on a Minnesota team in line to miss the playoffs, he will now seek out a new situation for the stretch run. Thielen will hit the waiver wire and, provided he clears, become a free agent.
“Last week Adam’s representation approached the team and asked if we would be willing to release Adam, expressing his desire to play a bigger role in the remaining weeks of what he has indicated will be his final NFL season,” a team statement reads in part. “Following discussions through the weekend and out of respect for Adam, we have agreed to give him the opportunity to pursue more playing time elsewhere.”
Thielen spent his first 11 years and 10 NFL seasons with Minnesota. The former UDFA emerged as a key figure on offense for the Vikings, but a downturn in production ultimately led to his release in 2023. Thielen joined the Panthers in free agency, and during two years in Carolina he served as a full-time starter.
Amidst questions regarding a potential retirement decision, Thielen committed to playing one more season. The Panthers traded him back to the Vikings shortly before the start of the campaign. During his second run with his hometown team, the Minnesota State product has made just eight scoreless catches while handling a snap share of only 29%. The Vikings have struggled mightily on offense all season, something punctuated during yesterday’s shutout loss.
While the team looks for answers under center for 2025 and beyond, Thielen will look for a suitable fit over the closing weeks of the season. The two-time Pro Bowler hinted in May that this year would likely be his last. To no surprise, Thielen has since confirmed in a statement of his own that he will indeed be hanging up his cleats after the year comes to an end. It will be interesting to see if he lands with a contender and in doing so sets up a potential run at a first career Super Bowl.
The Panthers-Vikings trade included a conditional pick, but today’s news confirms its status. The final tally on the swap is Thielen, a 2026 seventh-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder in exchange for fifth- and fourth-round selections in the next two drafts. Thielen accepted a pay cut to facilitate the move.
Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are in line to remain atop the Vikings’ WR depth chart for years to come. The team will not have Thielen in place for the final few games of his career, however.
He was a healthy scratch yesterday and had the same amount of production as all the starters
He knows his time is nearing an end. He wants to play for a contender. I respect that.
He needs to comeback to the 2026 SB Champs the friggin Panthers let’s go. Keep Pounding!!!
He earned it, will be curious to see where he goes.
I’m cool with the bills giving him a tryout. His numbers were decent just last season.
100%. Go Bills!!!
I guess Brosmer isn’t the next Brock Purdy and maybe that Vikings joke of an O line really is a major impediment to QB play
What DID happen with their O Line? The spent as much money as the Bears to improve it but appears to have crapped out. I know the C has been injured most of the year but what happened to the rest? Just my opinion but I never really had a lot of faith in McCarthy because I didn’t think he was the reason Michigan won the title. I thought they won in spite of him instead of because of him. Like to see Thielen go out fighting for the Playoffs too. Just hope he stays out of Pittsburgh because he won’t get far.
Totally have the same opinion on McCarthy it was a real reach by the Viking to draft McCarthy in the first round, I feel they are really having second thought about letting Darnold walk out the door. I can really see the Vikings looking at Murray from AZ, if by trade or if AZ releases him in March before his guarantee for 2026 kicks in.
I’m not sure that Murray would be that much of an upgrade tbh.
dez- He could run for his life better.
Murray is not the answer
inconsistent and immature.
They’ve had various injuries to the OL all season. Looks like their depth isn’t very good. I’m not complaining, the less we hear that stupid horn go off at their home games, the better.
Injured C but the LT and LG were also out
Best landing spots for one last pow wow?
Steelers
Seahawks
Chiefs
Long shots:
Texans
Colts
Bears
Add the Panthers! they gonna win it all trust yes I might be a tad delusional but we beat the dagum Rams!!!!!!!
You left the Bills off. With all the injuries and poor performers on that roster, he’s be a welcome addition.
I left the bills off because they just signed cooks and in general the puppy shelter WR projects the bills have done usually don’t pan out
Bears? You lost your mind? Bears can’t even get Burden as involved as they want to. He would just be inactive with a chance to earn a Playoff check.
I say bears to keep the other guys healthy for a long playoff run. Adam can come in a few plays and run some slants and get some mismatches to keep Odunze and Moore healthy
Steelers need anyone that can catch the ball. Seahawks I agree with as well.
KC is on death door, they need to run the table and for Texans and Colts to basically lose out.
Seahawks already have Kupp as the old white wr.
Steelers are cooked but he can easily be #2 or 3
I say
Philly they don’t have a locked in #3 wr but that offense is terrible right now.
GB wr core is beat to hell
Jags lackluster wr group warm weather for old body
Bills no actual #1 wr, could be Cole Beasley for them
Rams 3rd wr is 5’4 when healthy
GB has solid depth though
Only listed them due to all the injuries they have at the spot. None of the guys are vets either although they are deep, no one views those guys are a real #1 and fringe #2
They had 5 wrs on injury report but they could all be getting healthy by playoffs.
if he wants a shot at a SB this year, Pittsburgh and KC won’t be on his list. Chicago and Seattle are good choices. NE could be a fit also for a #3 WR
This aged well lol Steelers just signed him 😂
I assumed he would clear waivers and have his own choice.
Same
Thielen should go to a team who requires a possession receiver, with a QB with enough accuracy that separation is not an issue. Thielen will position himself right and outcatch any defensive back, but that won’t work well with a QB who throws a bit wild (most of them). Touch and accuracy in the short game.
Rodgers used to be that guy, as were Brady and Brees. Rodgers no longer has the same touch and control and I’m not sure which of new QB’s have this. Patrick Mahomes certainly. Maybe Darnold. Certainly not Josh Allen, Caleb Williams or Daniel Jones. Maybe C.J. Stroud (haven’t seen him play enough).
Cowboys?
I am now wondering about Jefferson; he did not look really happy after the game yesterday. Would not surprise me if he does not ask for a trade after the season especially if the Vikings do not get a QB. Theilen was done as soon as Carolina released him. Vikings did him favor by re-signing him, so he could retire a Viking. Can’t see another team signing him for the last few games of the season unless a season ending injury happen to a playoff contender.
I’m glad he got his reunion with the Vikings. Adam was basically the whole Panthers offense in 2023. Great career for a guy who was a UDFA. I wish him the best in retirement. Now I gotta find me a new favorite active player. Perhaps Bearmeat could make a recommendation…lol.
Jordan Love. 😁
LOL
Yeah, Jordan is somewhere on my list behind Marcedes Lewis 🙂
Bears could now be the best team in NFC but would he actually go there being from Minnesota?
Reunion with Diggs in NE… would be my preference as they are my team again. LOL
If Thielen had anything left in the tank the Vikings would not have made him a healthy scratch. Unless a team has severe WR shortcomings he may have put on an NFL uniform for the last time.
This bum has been washed for several years. What a stupid deal by Kwesi.
Everything the Vikings have touched has turned to stone this year.
I disagree with the idea that he’s washed; he just isn’t a top option anymore. But, as a depth piece, he has some value.
Patriots or Steelers I bet
The Steelers’ need is greatest, he would be their #2, but if he wants a chance to win SB he’d need to look elsewhere.
The Vikings should have waived the head coach before this. Why not use four wide? They have the talent! TEERIBLE HEAD COACH. FIRE koc now! Flores or Tomlin!
Tomlin? LOL. You think Tomlin would be an upgrade? As a Bears fan I’d be for it. Not really sure what hating on O’Connell is all about because it was the GM who made most of the bad decisions IMO.