Adam Thielen‘s breakout 2016 season looks set to generate a reward for the fourth-year wide receiver while making him less attractive to other teams as free agency nears. The Vikings are expected to place a second-round tender on Thielen, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (on Twitter).
Tomasson adds that a near-future extension is still possible for Thielen, who emerged with 967 receiving yards last season after totaling 281 in his previous two NFL seasons. The second-round tender is slated to be worth $2.81MM. The 26-year-old pass-catcher made $600K last season. Thielen’s agent, Blake Baratz, said in February the wideout has his eye on an extension to stay in Minnesota long-term. Baratz would still expect teams to pursue Thielen even if it costs teams draft compensation.
“They have the ability to do right by him, and [Thielen has] far exceeded anyone’s expectations,” Baratz said of the Vikings. “They don’t have any money invested in their wide receivers, and we can figure out something to do that’s right — this week, next week, the following week, March, April. Every day that gets closer to the end of next season without a deal in place, the pendulum just continues to swing Adam’s way.”
Nevertheless, the former Division II wide receiver could be an unlikely name on the 2018 UFA market, provided no extension is agreed to — if he can replicate the quality work he did in 2016. Thielen’s five touchdown receptions were four more than he posted in his career coming into last season. On a second-round tender, Thielen would represent the Vikings’ second-highest cap figure among receivers. Jarius Wright‘s $3.138MM number tops the group presently.
Pay the man!! Vikings need to keep him, Diggs and Treadwell. He knows the system up and down, and he’ll be as loyal a member as Greenway.