Adam Thielen

Steelers Claim WR Adam Thielen

December 2nd, 2025 at 11:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adam Thielen found a taker on the waiver wire. The Steelers, who did not end up trading for a wide receiver at the deadline, are claiming the veteran, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Thielen had asked to be waived, but he did not end up making it to free agency — or too far down the wire.

This opportunity came about after the Vikings cut ties with the Minnesota native Monday. The Vikes had acquired Thielen from the Panthers just before the season. At the time, that move was framed as a way for Thielen to help out a hopeful contender. That did not end up happening, with the Vikings struggling (as the Panthers have reawakened). Now, Thielen will have a shot — in what looks set to be his final stretch of NFL action — to aid the Steelers’ quest to hang on in the AFC North.

A team already housing the likes of T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward did not shy away from adding aging talent this year, having signed Darius Slay and Aaron Rodgers while trading for Jalen Ramsey. The Steelers waived Slay earlier today, but Thielen — at 35 — will be brought in to help a scuffling passing attack. The NFL’s oldest active wideout, Thielen did not make much of an impact during his second Vikings stint. But he should have a better chance to do so with the Steelers.

Thielen caught eight passes for 69 yards in 11 Vikings games, operating as an afterthought in a Vikings receiving corps featuring Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor. The Steelers have not seen a D.K. Metcalf complementary option emerge.

Metcalf has 605 yards on the season; no other Steeler has more than 300. This, of course, comes as George Pickens has erupted in a contract year — following a May trade with the Cowboys. Pickens’ 1,142 yards in 12 games already set a new career-high mark. Pittsburgh developed an earned reputation for developing a host of wide receivers, but Roman Wilson has not caught on late in Year 2. The 2024 third-round pick has just 166 yards this season, after he missed almost all of his rookie year.

Although Thielen was not much help in J.J. McCarthy‘s debut, he does have a recent history of making significant contributions. Even in a 2024 season that saw him land on IR and miss seven games due to a hamstring injury, the former UDFA totaled 615 yards and five touchdowns. In his Carolina debut in 2023, Thielen posted his third 1,000-yard season — a 1,014-yard showing that included 103 catches. Maintaining quality form into his mid-30s, Thielen will attempt to help Rodgers in what is expected to be his final season.

Rodgers and Thielen have been friends for years, with the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling noting earlier today this fit would make sense. The duo had discussed playing together in the past. That will come together for a Steelers team that has struggled, limping to 6-6 and hearing a cascade of boos rain down during a one-sided Week 13 loss to the Bills. Tied with the Ravens atop the AFC North, the Steelers are in jeopardy of squandering a big lead and perhaps finishing with a losing record for the first time in Mike Tomlin‘s 19-year tenure.

One of the NFL’s better possession receivers during this period, Thielen had teamed with Jefferson and Stefon Diggs before him to form quality receiving tandems in Minnesota. On Vikings teams competing with Rodgers for NFC North supremacy, Thielen eclipsed 1,200 yards in 2017 and ’18, earning Pro Bowl nods each year. Thielen collected a second-team All-Pro accolade in 2017, helping the Vikings to the NFC championship game. Thielen’s 64 touchdown catches rank eighth among active players.

He earned two Minnesota extensions and, following a 2023 release, caught on with the Panthers on a three-year, $25MM deal. Thielen reworked that pact this summer, accepting a pay cut to facilitate a trade to his home-state team. He is attached to a $3MM base salary this season. The Steelers will be responsible for $882K via this claim. They entered the day with just less than $4MM in cap space.

Vikings Waive Adam Thielen; WR To Retire Following 2025 Season

December 1st, 2025 at 10:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

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.

NFC North Rumors: Hafley, Thielen, Ratledge

September 7th, 2025 at 11:23am CST by Rory Parks

In 2024, Jeff Hafley’s first year as the Packers’ defensive coordinator, Green Bay ranked fifth and sixth in total and scoring defense, respectively, while also finishing third in interceptions and seventh in sacks. That performance garnered Hafley a head coaching interview with the Jets this offseason, and more such interviews could be on the horizon.

Per Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required), Hafley is viewed as a legitimate HC candidate in some league circles, and he has a chance to elevate his stock even further given the Packers’ addition of star edge defender Micah Parsons. Howe already expects teams in search of a defensive-minded head coach in next year’s cycle to do their homework on Hafley, and another strong showing from his unit will solidify his place on the HC radar.

Now for more from the NFC North:

A trade at the end of August brought WR Adam Thielen back to the Vikings after a two-year stint with the Panthers. In a comprehensive look behind the scenes of the swap, Joseph Person of The Athletic (subscription required) says Carolina was not actively looking to deal Thielen, who became an important veteran leader. Given that, and given the Panthers’ leverage – Minnesota’s need for a veteran wideout was well-documented – Carolina originally asked the Vikes for a third-round pick in exchange for Thielen and a fifth-rounder. The Panthers wanted to get the equivalent of fourth-round value in a Thielen trade, and they eventually got there while shaving off $7MM in cap space they can roll over to next year. The Vikes, meanwhile, did not have to give up a third.
Rookie Tate Ratledge was initially penciled in as the Lions’ starting center in the wake of Frank Ragnow’s retirement, but that experiment lasted all of three training camp practices before Detroit shifted Ratledge to right guard and veteran Graham Glasgow to the pivot. However, that had less to do with Ratledge’s performance than Glasgow’s existing rapport with QB Jared Goff, and as Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network writes, GM Brad Holmes still sees Ratledge as the long-term center, where he may have an even higher ceiling (despite his success at guard in college).
The Lions waived sixth-round rookie Ahmed Hassanein with an injury settlement during final roster cutdowns at the end of August, but Holmes still expects the defensive end to suit up for the team this year (via Jeremy Reisman of PrideofDetroit.com). Holmes said there is a handshake deal in place for Hassanein, who has cleared waivers, to return to Detroit once the length of the injury settlement term (plus an additional three weeks) is complete. That term is presently unknown.
Former Lions long snapper Don Muhlbach will serve in a game management role for the club this year, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Muhlbach, a two-time Pro Bowler and the second-longest-tenured player in franchise history, joined the team in an administrative role shortly after his 2021 release. He will now assist HC Dan Campbell with replay reviews, rules interpretations, and “other gameday trends.”

Adam Thielen Accepts Pay Cut From Vikings

August 30th, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen has accepted a pay cut from the Vikings shortly after reuniting with the team via a trade from the Panthers.

Originally set to receive $6.25MM in base salary, per OverTheCap, Thielen has agreed to reduce that number by $2MM, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. $4MM of incentives – added earlier this offseason in a revised deal with the Panthers – were also removed.

Pelissero adds that Thielen volunteered for the pay cut to help facilitate his return to Minnesota. He had already agreed to the revised terms at the time of the trade, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, and will now rejoin a familiar group of players in coaches.

Thielen, 35, signed with the Vikings as an undrafted rookie in 2014 and made the 53-man rosters a depth receiver and core special teams contributor. The 6-foot-2 receiver broke out in 2016 with 967 yards and averaged 62 yards per game over the subsequent six seasons, earning two contract extensions in the process. Along with his 2023 free agency deal with the Panthers, Thielen has reached $83.6MM in career earnings (via OverTheCap) allowing the Minnesota native to give the Vikings a hometown discount.

With Jordan Addison suspended to start the season and Jalen Nailor dealing with a hand injury, Thielen immediately leaped to the top of the Vikings’ depth chart and will likely play a big role early on. Addison will be sidelined for the team’s first three games, while Nailor is “week-to-week” with a hand injury and hasn’t practice in almost two weeks. Thielen’s experience in previous Kevin O’Connell offenses could make him a quarterback-friendly target for first-year starter J.J. McCarthy.

Panthers Trade WR Adam Thielen Back To Vikings

August 27th, 2025 at 11:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adam Thielen is returning home. The Panthers have agreed on terms to send the Minnesota native back to the Vikings, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting the deal is done.

Carolina will receive a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-rounder. Minnesota adds Thielen, a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder, according to Schefter, who adds talks between the NFC teams have been serious for a few days. The conditional seventh-rounder the Vikings received becomes a sixth if Thielen is not active for 10 games or not on the 53-man roster for 14, The Athletic’s Joe Person tweets.

The teams had been haggling over trade value this week, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds the Panthers initially asked for a lot in return for the established possession receiver. With terms agreed to, the Vikings are finalizing a revised contract, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds.

Thielen rejoins a Vikings team hurting at wide receiver to open the season — to the point the team eyed trade help. Jordan Addison incurred a three-game suspension for a 2024 DUI arrest, while Rondale Moore suffered a season-ending knee injury for a second straight year. Jalen Nailor is also recovering from a hand injury, and Justin Jefferson missed a few weeks because of a hamstring injury sustained early in training camp.

Despite the Vikings cutting Thielen in 2023, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz indicates Kevin O’Connell advocated “strongly” to add a veteran to help. Thielen, 35, fits the bill and has scheme familiarity from his 2022 season in O’Connell’s offense. Prior to that, Thielen played nine seasons in Minnesota. The former rookie-camp tryout body is set to play a 13th NFL season, and he will be asked to help J.J. McCarthy transition to the pros. When addressing the trade, Panthers head coach Dave Canales noted (via ESPN’s David Newton) Thielen never specifically asked to be dealt back to Minnesota.

Nonetheless, Thielen becomes the third receiver the Panthers have traded since October. They dealt Jonathan Mingo to the Cowboys and ended the failed Diontae Johnson experiment before the 2024 deadline. Thielen, who accepted a revised contract this offseason, will be dealt from an offense that added another first-round wideout — Tetairoa McMillan — this year. McMillan leads the way for the Panthers at receiver now, headlining a group featuring Xavier Legette and UDFA talent Jalen Coker. This does strip a proven pass catcher from Bryce Young, but the Panthers have young talent to garner key reps this season.

After two productive seasons in Carolina, Thielen accepted a reworked contract this offseason. The Panthers had him on a one-year, $8.75MM deal ($1.5MM guaranteed). While the rework gave Thielen some guaranteed money for 2025 — the final year of his contract — it also left the door open for a trade. The Panthers will take on $5MM in dead money from moving Thielen, with the figure being split between the 2025 and ’26 seasons.

Thielen tacked on a third 1,000-yard season to his resume in Carolina, being a woeful offense’s top option in 2023. He added a 615-yard year in 2024, doing so despite missing seven games with a hamstring injury. The former Jefferson and Stefon Diggs sidekick ranks third in career Vikings receptions and receiving TDs, sitting fifth in career Minnesota yardage.

Thielen had pointed to 2025 potentially being his NFL finale, and it will now come in his home state. Thielen combined for 24 TD receptions in Jefferson’s first two years. After working with Kirk Cousins for five seasons, Thielen garnered experience with a younger QB in Young; that should help him ahead of McCarthy’s debut campaign.

Minnesota initially had Diggs complementing Thielen, who eclipsed 1,200 yards in 2017 and ’18. Thielen agreed to two Vikings extensions, the second of which a four-year, $64.8MM accord. The Vikes revised that deal in 2022 but cut the accomplished receiver in March 2023, after the sides could not agree on another adjustment.

Thielen then collected a three-year, $25MM deal from the Panthers. While Carolina missed on some 2023 additions, Thielen provided value. After trade rumors emerged at the 2024 deadline, the Panthers circled back to a deal now. The Vikings had added Addison in Round 1 weeks after cutting Thielen. It will be interesting to see that duo work together, with Nailor (414 yards last season) and third-round rookie Tai Felton rounding out what will be one of the NFL’s deepest WR groups once Addison is activated in Week 4.

Vikings Contacting Panthers About WR Adam Thielen

August 25th, 2025 at 9:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

TODAY, 9:40pm: The two sides continue to discuss a potential Thielen trade, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. However, the Vikings and Panthers continue to disagree on compensation. At the very least, it sounds like they’ve overcome any financial concerns that may have been holding up a deal.

FRIDAY, 1:18pm: Panthers head coach Dave Canales has confirmed no serious trade discussion have taken place yet on this front, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports finances represent a barrier to any deal being finalized. The deadline for roster cuts is Tuesday afternoon, and it would come as no surprise if a resolution one way or the other were to be in place by then.

10:33am: The Vikings are known to be among the teams seeking a receiver addition in time for Week 1. An Adam Thielen reunion has been named as something to watch for, and efforts to make one happen are indeed underway.

Minnesota has contacted Carolina about a Thielen trade, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Nothing is imminent at this time, per Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune. Nevertheless, this will be a situation to monitor closely over the coming days.

The Vikings’ skill-position group has largely remained the same compared to last season, but their receiver depth chart has been dealt a number of blows recently. Rondale Moore will miss the season due to a knee injury, and projected No. 3 wideout Jalen Nailor is dealing with a hand ailment. Jordan Addison is set to reprise his role as WR2 when on the field, but he will miss the first three weeks of the campaign due to suspension.

While Justin Jefferson is at full strength (after dealing with a hamstring injury earlier in training camp), Minnesota could stand to add help at the position for the early portion of the 2025 campaign. Third-round rookie Tai Felton is in place to handle at least a part-time role on offense – especially until Addison returns – but a more established option would no doubt be welcomed by the Vikings. As such, Thielen represents a logical trade target.

The former UDFA joined Minnesota in 2013, and he began establishing himself as a valued member of the team one year later. Thielen played with the Vikings for nine seasons, earning two consecutive Pro Bowl nods during that span. A downturn in production helped inform Minnesota’s decision to release Thielen in 2023.

The Minnesota State alum signed with the Panthers in free agency and recorded the third 1,000-yard campaign of his career during his first season with the team. Thielen was limited to 10 games last year, although he still managed to operate as a full-time starter. Thought was given to retirement after the season, but the 35-year-old will suit up for at least one more campaign.

As things stand, that will consist of a third Panthers season. Carolina has invested first-round picks at the receiver spot in consecutive years, though (Xavier Legette, Tetairoa McMillan), and 2024 UDFA Jalen Coker flashed potential as a rookie. The Panthers also have veteran Hunter Renfrow in position to return to NFL action; he could replace Thielen’s slot production in the event of a trade.

Thielen has one year remaining on his contract and is owed a base salary of $6.25MM for 2025. The Vikings currently have over $30MM in cap space, although that figure will soon change once roster cuts are made. Still, finances should not be an insurmountable challenge if an agreement is reached regarding a trade.

Panthers WR Adam Thielen Could Retire Following 2025 Season

May 2nd, 2025 at 4:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

The second chapter of Adam Thielen‘s NFL career has seen him operate as a key part of the Panthers’ offense. The veteran wideout will remain in Carolina for 2025, but that could be followed by a retirement decision next spring.

“It could be, yeah,” Thielen said when speaking to the media about the possibility of 2025 being his final season in the league (video link via The Athletic’s Joe Person). “I told you guys 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 talked to my family, and they wanted me to keep playing. So it’ll be the same process. I’m not gonna think about that right now.”

Indeed, the two-time Pro Bowler said in February he gave thought to hanging up his cleats. His latest comments thus come as no surprise. For now, though, Thielen – who will turn 35 in August – will turn his attention to a third campaign with the Panthers. Upon receiving a pay bump in March, he remains a pending 2026 free agent.

A former Vikings UDFA, Thielen enjoyed a strong run in Minnesota with a pair of campaigns over 1,200 yards. He was the focal point of a Panthers offense lacking in skill-position options in 2023 when he amassed 103 receptions (the second most of his career). The Minnesota State product was limited to 10 games last year, but he still managed five touchdowns while averaging 12.8 yards per catch.

Carolina has selected a receiver during the first round of each of the past two drafts. General manager Dan Morgan‘s first two years at the helm have produced Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan at that position. Legette will look to take a step forward compared to his production from his rookie campaign, while McMillan can be expected to handle a large workload early in his career. Thielen will remain a key member of the group as Carolina looks to build off the momentum seen on offense to close out last season.

Doing so could see the Panthers reach the postseason, something Thielen has done on four occasions in his career. Regardless of if that takes place, though, 2025 could represent his final NFL campaign.

Panthers Showed Interest In D.K. Metcalf, Eyeing Pass-Catching Help

April 4th, 2025 at 2:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers changed course at wide receiver midway through last season, trading both Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo before the deadline. Although Adam Thielen is coming back, he is going into an age-35 season. It appears likely Carolina will go back to the receiver well in this draft.

This has been a trend for the post-D.J. Moore Panthers, who chose Mingo in the 2023 second round and Xavier Legette in last year’s first. This came after a miss on Terrace Marshall in the 2021 second. Legette will obviously still be given a chance to be a regular, though UDFA Jalen Coker showed a bit more promise as a rookie, but key supplementation is almost definitely coming.

Carolina made an understandable inquiry into the Seattle receiver situation recently. Seeing as Dave Canales was D.K. Metcalf‘s former position coach, he told Kay Adams (during an Up & Adams appearance) with Dan Morgan about a potential trade after the receiver’s request to be moved. Morgan also spent time in Seattle, operating as a scout and front office exec there for eight years. Though, that was before Metcalf’s arrival. Canales overlapped with Metcalf for four seasons; the big-bodied WR’s career began with Canales as his position coach.

While Carolina showed interest, The Athletic’s Joe Person indicates no offer was made. The Panthers join the Patriots and Packers among teams that did not make an offer. The Seahawks ended up letting Metcalf go for a second-round pick, and the Steelers have authorized a top-five extension. The Panthers do not have an eight-figure AAV at receiver, and that seems likely to continue in 2025. Giving Moore a lucrative deal in 2022, the team still needs help here. It should be expected to draft a pass-catching weapon early, Person adds, with Canales indicating he “would love” to draft another playmaker to boost Bryce Young‘s development. The team scheduled a Tetairoa McMillan meeting already.

The playmaker Carolina traded up for in last year’s second round, Jonathon Brooks, is expected to miss much of the season after a second ACL tear. The Panthers, though, have running back covered via their Chuba Hubbard extension and Rico Dowdle signing. Coker led all UDFAs in receptions, yards and TD grabs last season and still figures to have a role. But the Panthers figure to bring in either a starting wideout or tight end (or both) during this draft, with Person adding the team is doing due diligence on Tyler Warren — a Penn State product that has generated interest from several teams. The Panthers, who have not seen too much from the TE spot since Greg Olsen, could outflank much of this lot, as they hold the No. 8 overall pick.

Thielen agreed to stay on a revised deal, representing perhaps a slight surprise due to his 2024 injuries and the cap savings that would have come had Carolina moved on. Though, the terms of Thielen’s return do give the team flexibility.

The Panthers have the former Pro Bowler tied to a $6.25MM base salary, but only $1.5MM of that is guaranteed. Carrying a $10.11MM cap number, Thielen could be cut to produce $5.1MM in cap savings. The Panthers would eat some dead money due to the $1.5MM guarantee and the two void years on the contract in that scenario.

Thielen remained productive when available last year. Missing seven games, he still nearly matched his per-game average from a 1,000-yard 2023 by posting 58.1 yards per contest in ’24. A former tryout body who caught on with his home-state Vikings, Thielen has become one of the better UDFA receivers in NFL history. He is now aiming for a 13th season in 2025.

WR Adam Thielen Staying With Panthers On Revised Deal

March 12th, 2025 at 9:25pm CST by Ely Allen

We knew that veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen would be returning for his 12th season of NFL action. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, he will be doing so on a revised contract. Joe Person of The Athletic confirms Fowler’s report while adding that the new deal comes with a pay bump for the 34-year-old.

After a couple of down years before his move to Carolina, Thielen was a bit of an under-the-radar addition to the Panthers’ wide receiving corps in 2023. Despite consistent inconsistency in the quarterbacks room, Thielen had a resurgent season, reeling in 103 passes for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. This past year, Thielen’s impressive output for the Panthers continued as he improved on those numbers through 10 games (615 receiving yards for five touchdowns) despite a seven-game absence in the middle of the year.

Usually, when an aging skills player in their 30s has their contract revised, it’s to reduce their cap impact with a pay cut, usually rewarding them with a signing bonus or some guarantees. In this situation, the Panthers are actually rewarding Thielen for his impressive contributions in the past two seasons by giving him a higher salary.

Thielen was set to make $6.75MM in 2025, including a $1.5MM roster bonus set to take effect this weekend. Per Person, this new deal will actually add to his cap number. There are no plans to extend his time under contract, however, as Person claims that the deal should still void after this season.

It’s an unusual development for a player set to enter the 2025 season at 35 years old, but one well worth it for a player who has been a consistent rock during a turbulent two years of quarterback play. Thielen will continue to serve as a leader and mentor to last year’s rookie wide receivers Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker.

WR Notes: Hill, Commanders, Jags, Thielen

February 23rd, 2025 at 8:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tyreek Hill played through a torn ligament in his wrist during the 2024 campaign. Surgery was put off to allow him to play for the Dolphins, but it appears a procedure has now taken place.

A video Hill recently posted on Instagram shows that his left wrist is heavily bandaged. That is a strong indication he underwent surgery to correct the issue, one which played a role in the five-time All-Pro posting less than 1,100 yards for only the second time since 2017. Immediately after Miami’s season ended with a playoff berth not coming to fruition, Hill made comments indicating he would prefer to be traded.

Those remarks have since been walked back, and the team is not looking to move forward with a trade. Nevertheless, it would come as little surprise if interest were to be shown this offseason. Obviously, Hill’s health will be key in establishing his market, although it is not certain at this point that he underwent surgery. The Dolphins declined to comment when asked by the Miami Herald to confirm the procedure.

Here are some other wide receiver notes from around the league:

In the wake of Jayden Daniels‘ stellar rookie season, expectations are high for the Commanders and they have the cap space to make multiple splashes in free agency this offseason. While defensive upgrades will be targeted, adding a complementary receiver could be in play as well. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes there is an expectation amongst some in the NFL Washington will pursue a WR2 after using the likes of Noah Brown, Dyami Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus and rookie Luke McCaffrey as secondary options to Terry McLaurin in 2024. Noah Brown wants to re-sign with the Commanders, but even if he does the team will have room in free agency to add a wideout with more pedigree.
In the same Fowler piece, he names the Jaguars as a team which could add at the receiver spot. In particular, a vertical threat appears to be on Jacksonville’s wishlist. First-rounder Brian Thomas Jr. had a Pro Bowl season as a rookie, averaging 14.7 yards per catch and scoring 10 touchdowns. Adding further speed alongside the LSU product would help the Jags’ offense, one which still has veteran Christian Kirk in the fold as things stand. Making a call on retaining or releasing the latter will be one of new general manager James Gladstone‘s early priorities.
The Panthers saw quarterback Bryce Young show encouraging signs in the latter stages of 2024. Aiding his development will require adding further at the skill positions, and Joe Person of The Athletic writes adding a No. 1 receiver could very well be a goal for this offseason (subscription required). Adam Thielen has handled WR1 duties since arriving in Carolina in free agency, making 151 catches over the past two years. The former Viking gave thought to retirement after the campaign, but he will suit up in 2025. Person notes an extension is unlikely given the 35-year-old’s age and uncertain future, but a bump in immediate compensation could be in store. Thielen is currently due $6.75MM next year.

Load More Posts