Adam Thielen Speaks on His Departure from the Vikings

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen before the start of the Vikings game against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

This spring, the Minnesota Vikings and 10-year veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen went their separate ways. After being cut by the Vikings, Thielen signed a three-year contract with the Carolina Panthers where he presumably will be catching passes from first overall pick Bryce Young.

Adam Thielen
Jan 8, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) celebrates his touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Thielen recently discussed what went into this decision with the Star Tribune‘s Daily Delivery podcast crew. In this podcast, Thielen shared that he never truly wanted to leave Minnesota, and ultimately, it came down to the Vikings making the decision to move on:

I don’t think there was ever a point where I was unhappy with what I was doing. It was just pretty clear that they had a different vision for me than maybe I had for a way that I could help the team win games. There wasn’t a wrong thing. There wasn’t disrespect on either side. I think it was just time for both sides to move on.

It’s very likely that a big contributor in this decision to move on was the fact that Thielen was set to carry a cap hit of nearly $20 million on the books for 2023. For a receiver that has seen decreasing receiving yardage and touchdown totals in each of the past two seasons, that simply never felt like it was in the cards for the Vikings.

Minnesota State WR
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

Instead, Thielen got his three-year/$25 million deal with Carolina that will keep him in the Panthers organization through the 2025 season. He joins other free agent signings like DJ Chark, Miles Sanders, and others in what looks to be a revamped Panthers offense.

Meanwhile, the Vikings have opted to get younger at the wide receiver position, drafting Jordan Addison with the 23rd overall pick, passing on QB Will Levis in the process. They also signed Brandon Powell in free agency, who caught 24 passes for 165 yards in his age-27 season.

Thielen finished his 10-year career with the Vikings having caught 534 passes for 6682 yards and 55 touchdowns.

Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. 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.

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