Report: Vikings WR Adam Thielen Could Be Released Soon

Josh Frey |

Mar 9, 2023

Jan 1, 2023; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) looks on during warmups prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings have a number of questions regarding their roster right now. They have a number of aging veterans, and with a need to free up salary cap space ahead of free agency, some difficult decisions will have to be made.

We saw one of those decisions come to fruition on Monday when Minnesota released LB Eric Kendricks, and now, we may see another one of these decisions soon. On Thursday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted that Vikings WR Adam Thielen’s time in Minnesota “could be coming to an end.”

There’s a real possibility that the Vikings and Adam Thielen will part ways in the coming days, allowing the two-time Pro-Bowl WR to become a free agent, per sources. The two sides will talk in coming days, but his time in Minnesota could be coming to an end.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2023

This has been considered a possibility for awhile now. In fact, just yesterday, we posted an article on this site describing why it could make sense for Thielen to be the next veteran Viking to leave the franchise.

In 2022, Thielen certainly saw his production drop off substantially compared to the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The 32-year-old receiver caught 70 passes for 716 yards and 6 TDs. The touchdown number is the most notable statistic considering he caught a combined 24 touchdowns between 2020 and 2021.

Dec 26, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) in action against the Los Angeles Rams at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Thielen also is set to carry a $19,967,647 cap hit in 2023, which is far too large for a player that may end up being the fourth or even fifth option in the Vikings offense next season. The two sides could still reach an agreement regarding a restructure (Schefter states in the tweet that the two sides will meet in the coming days), but if they were going to do something like that, it seems like it would have already happened.

Overall, Thielen’s time in Minnesota should only be viewed in a positive light if his time in Minnesota is indeed coming to an end. The former undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State-Mankato has spent the entirety of his NFL career with the Vikings, and he has progressed from special teams specialist all the way to one of the main options on the offense.

thielen staying — Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) and place kicker Greg Joseph. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

In all, Thielen has played nine seasons with the Vikings, catching a total of 534 passes for 6682 yards and 55 TDs. He’s also been named to a pair of Pro Bowls in 2017 and 2018 while being a second-team All-Pro member in 2017 as well.

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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken