Questions Answered: Adam Thielen Landing Spots, Diggs’ Unhappiness, Free Agent Defenders
Dustin Baker
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The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the January 23rd edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Questions Answered: Adam Thielen Landing Spots, Diggs’ Unhappiness, Free Agent Defenders
Q: If Adam Thielen does leave the Vikings, where do you think he will end up?
A: Our off-the-cuff shortlist speculates the Houston Texans, New England Patriots, or Green Bay Packers.
Houston, for now, doesn’t have worldbeaters at wide receiver, and Thielen could theoretically get the targets he craves with such a group. The Patriots would enjoy Thielen’s surehandedness, and he kind of feels like a Patriot (if he will not be a Viking, that is.) And then for the Packers, well, Thielen and Aaron Rodgers are buddies, and Green Bay will probably lose Allen Lazard to free agency this offseason.
These are all theories. None are based on tips or insider information.
Q: Do you think Stefon Diggs’ little rage session during the loss to the Bengals turns into a thing?
A: No, we believe he was just showcasing the fiery spirit — that he’s always maintained — and was mad about losing.
And why shouldn’t he be upset? The Bills were at home, lost despite having the entire world [sans the state of Ohio] in their corner, and have now crumbled three consecutive years short of the Super Bowl.
Diggs will always be a lovable and humanitarian firebrand, and we don’t foresee his tantrum turning into a thing.
It happens.
Q: Who would be the best free-agent defender the Vikings could land in free agency?
A: Well, probably Diggs’ teammate — linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Daron Payne, a Pro Bowl defensive tackle from the Washington Commanders, is interesting, too.
The Vikings should find a premiere defender via free agency and then draft defensively as they did in 2022. Edmunds and Payne are guaranteed stars that will be expensive but anchor their positions.
After Minnesota clears cap space by restructuring, releasing, or trading longtime veterans, it should have an impressive satchel of cash to spend on free agents. Too, Vikings fans must always trust Rob Brzezinski to figure out the cap math.
Edmunds and Payne would be exciting. Sign us up.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.