There are a number of teams that would like to add a wide receiver in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, and Vikings wideout Adam Thielen would probably pique the interest of all of those clubs. However, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports, Minnesota has no intention of dealing its 30-year-old receiver (Twitter link).
The Vikes are 1-5 and have already sold off one major asset by trading Yannick Ngakoue. They are also willing to deal safety Anthony Harris. However, both Ngakoue and Harris are set to hit free agency at the end of the season, while Thielen is under club control through 2024.
And while Minnesota looks dead in the water this year, there is still enough talent on the roster — including Thielen — to suggest that a rebound in 2021 could be in the cards. If the club plans to retool rather than rebuild, having Thielen in the fold would go a long way towards a return to contention next year.
Thielen and the Vikings agreed to a lucrative four-year extension in April 2019, and though injuries limited him to 10 games last season, he is on track for about 85 catches and over 1,100 receiving yards in 2020. That would be a little off the pace he set in his 2017-18 Pro Bowl campaigns, but those are still respectable numbers, and his 13.0 yards-per-reception average is right in line with his best seasons. He is also currently leading the league with seven TD catches this year.
There’s always a chance the Vikings could be blown away by an offer, especially since Thielen’s salaries throughout his contract are fairly manageable and since it would be easy enough for a team to get out of that contract at any point after the 2020 season is over. It just doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen, and WR-needy teams like the Browns, Ravens, Patriots, and Packers, among others, will need to turn their attention elsewhere (not that Minnesota would ever trade Thielen to Green Bay anyway).
They really should at least listen on Thielen. I wouldn’t give him away but Jefferson is an emerging #1 and Thielen likely starts dropping off sooner than later due to age (2021 or 2022)
You are quite right.
I’d listen to offers on him…….If someone offers a lil too much take it!!!
They are quite a few players away from seriously contending so listen to offers please.
God knows they up against the cap too!!!!
Never say never!
Everything is for sale for the right price. Don’t hang up and tell opposing GM’s not for sale, but gotta hear the proposals out on everyone even if you’ve no intention or desire to trade him
As long as Cousins is the QB, it should be a sell mentality. Why the re-upped him, the GM & HC while never accomplishing much is classic NFL thinking ‘if we are 9-7 we can get into the playoffs….’ Zero courage to say ‘this isn’t working’.