Vikings Got a Little Lucky in the Thielen Sweepstakes
Adam Thielen was acquired via trade from the Carolina Panthers, and he is now primed to play a big role early in the upcoming season, with Jordan Addison scheduled to be sidelined for three games. It took a few rumor-filled days for GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to finalize the deal.
Vikings Got a Little Lucky in the Thielen Sweepstakes
The Panthers ultimately agreed to let Minnesota’s own return home because they want to feature their two first-rounders, Xavier Legette and Tetoira McMillan, as well as sophomore Jalen Coker.
That plan has vanished, however, as Coker won’t be available for a while. The Panthers announced on Saturday, “The club plans to place second-year receiver Jalen Coker on Injured Reserve with a quad injury, suffered in practice on Thursday.”
They added veteran Hunter Renfrow to take his place. Coker was expected to play in the slot, and Renfrow, who they cut a few days ago, has that ability.
Carolina’s GM Dan Morgan said, “Any time you lose a receiver like Adam [Thielen], it’s a big loss. But at the same time, we’re really excited about our young core of receivers. Jalen Coker’s going to step into the slot, we’re going to utilize a lot of resources with [Xavier Legette] and [Tetairoa McMillan].”
Coker, out of Holy Cross, caught 32 passes for 478 yards and two touchdowns last year, showing real promise in his debut season. Now that he’s out, it’s fair to wonder whether the Panthers would’ve allowed Thielen to exit the building had Coker suffered his injury a week earlier.
Joseph Person of The Athletic wrote about his injury, “If they aren’t, they should be. Coker’s strained quad is the same one that sidelined him for three games late last season, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.”
Quad strains can linger.
“Panthers coach Dave Canales wasn’t thrilled with Coker’s conditioning level and body composition this offseason, prompting the team to put together a detailed program Coker followed during the summer in Charlotte,” Person added. “Coker has great hands and a knack for coming down with the football. The undrafted free agent led Carolina receivers with a 14.9 yards-per-catch average in 2024 and nearly matched Xavier Legette’s receiving yardage total despite playing five fewer games. Coker and the team have to figure out a way to keep him on the field.”
The Vikings, meanwhile, are thrilled to have Thielen back in the state after a two-season absence. He was initially cut following the 2022 season and replaced by Addison. In the first three games of the year, he is expected to step into Addison’s role as the team’s WR2, trying to prove that he still has as reliable a pair of hands as you can find.
Once Addison returns, the club will have one of the top receiving groups in all of football, with Jefferson leading the trio and Jalen Nailor remaining in the mix.
Thielen said the day after the trade, “Didn’t know this was gonna happen until yesterday morning, so yesterday was an absolute whirlwind. But obviously you guys know, without me saying it, how much this place means to me. This state, this city, this organization, the Wilfs, coaches, players. Couldn’t be more excited. There’s nothing I could say to tell you how excited I am to be back home.”
On Saturday, reports emerged about Thielen taking a pay cut, leaving $2 million on the table plus an additional $4 million he could’ve made via incentives.
The 35-year-old’s first chance to take the field will be on September 8, when the Vikings face the Chicago Bears.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.