Vikings Wave the White Flag on a Big Offseason Addition
Not many offseason moves have worked out for the Minnesota Vikings. They are missing several former athletes, and numerous hired players haven’t lived up to expectations. It’s becoming quite obvious that another move is backfiring.
Vikings Wave the White Flag on a Big Offseason Addition
On Sunday’s docket, the Vikings have a reunion with Sam Darnold, their former Pro Bowl quarterback, whom they allowed to walk out of the building. Under center for the purple team will be Max Brosmer, the undrafted rookie.
Brosmer has the full arsenal available. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, and T.J. Hockenson hope he can give the subpar passing attack a spark.
One weapon will not run routes for the Vikings: franchise legend Adam Thielen. The veteran is among the few inactive players who entered the weekend without an injury designation. Safety Theo Jackson, blockers Donovan Jackson and Christian Darrisaw, as well as quarterback J.J. McCarthy, are all out with injuries. Nothing like that is known about Thielen. He appears to be a true healthy scratch.
Thielen was acquired late in the offseason, after the preseason. The Vikings wanted to add another reliable receiver for McCarthy, especially with Addison picking up a three-game suspension and Nailor and Jefferson missing time in training camp.
Minnesota’s front office sent a fourth-rounder in 2027 and a fifth-rounder in 2026 to Carolina for Thielen, a conditional seventh-rounder in 2026, and a fifth-rounder in 2027.
Well, that deal is aging like milk. Thielen, once an elite receiver in the NFL, has eight catches for 69 yards on his 2025 statsheet. He has yet to find the endzone. It goes without saying that he has had little impact this season.
The Vikings, as a team, have struggled to move the ball through the air, with an overwhelmed McCarthy and backup Carson Wentz executing the plays. Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson have suffered because of it, while Thielen has been totally irrelevant.
The former Pro Bowler played a season-low three offensive snaps last week in Green Bay. Since Addison returned in Week 4, Thielen hasn’t played more than 14 snaps in a game, and the most yards he has had were 16 against Baltimore.
Thielen is 35 and the oldest receiver in the league. From that perspective, it’s not too shocking to see him fall off a cliff, but he was still expected to provide some help after registering over 600 yards and five scores in only ten games a year ago.
Without their franchise great, the Vikings will continue to rely on their top trio. Behind them are special teamers and rookies Tai Felton and Myles Price. There’s a chance that one of them will get some chances on offense.
Thielen has played in 146 games with the Vikings, catching 542 passes for 6,751 yards and 55 touchdowns. He still ranks third in franchise history in receiving touchdowns.
The long-time Viking tried out for his hometown team and turned that opportunity into a long and productive career. Sadly, that seems to be coming to an end.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.