Adam Thielen has an opportunity to shut out his profession the place all of it started. After weeks of hypothesis the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings agreed to a commerce, sending the veteran WR again to his unique workforce in a reasonably sophisticated deal so far as veteran strikes like this go.
It has turn out to be a sellers market within the NFL for receivers forward of the common season. Thielen was within the last yr of his contract, and had made some indication that 2025 might be his final yr within the league. That’s usually not a participant who commanders a 4th and fifth spherical choose, even with belongings going the opposite method. Particularly contemplating Deebo Samuel was traded from the 49ers to the Commanders for a flat fifth rounder previous to the draft.
We’re conditioned to try to discover a “winner” in offers like this, however in truth there isn’t actually a winner or a loser. That is an instance of two normal managers who clearly went forwards and backwards to drive laborious bargains for his or her respective groups, which ended up with each groups giving up greater than they needed.
As a substitute lets take a look at the professionals and cons for each groups on this deal.
The Vikings get an unbelievable locker room presence and a workforce chief, whereas additionally discovering a solution to climate the storm by Jordan Addison’s suspension. Carolina praised Thielen’s position within the locker room as a sounding board for Bryce Younger in his second season, whereas additionally being a stable on-field participant. Whereas it’s undoubtable Thielen has misplaced a step, he’s nonetheless a sure-handed cross catcher who will assist do large issues for J.J. McCarthy in his rookie season.
Sending away future belongings for an getting old veteran receiver like it is a transfer you make once you assume you’re a chunk or two away from rivalry, not pivoting to a brand new quarterback. If lightning strikes twice and McCarthy performs like Sam Darnold did final yr then it is perhaps price it, but when Minnesota fails to make the playoffs then this was a hefty value to pay in a deal, and McCarthy will then must adapt to not having Thielen in his second yr as starter.
It is a vote of confidence within the receiver room constructed beneath Dave Canales. For a lot of the summer time I heard from sources contained in the Panthers that there was an opportunity Thielen might be dealt, not due to something he did — however quite everybody round him. Tetairoa McMillan arrived being extra NFL-ready than the workforce anticipated, Xavier Legette has taken a step ahead, and UDFA gem Jalen Coker is prepared for a bigger position within the offense. Throw in Jimmy Horn Jr, who the Panthers are excessive on, and the room was getting too stacked.
The Panthers are an unquestionably worse workforce proper now with out Thielen, than with him. This places extra strain on the younger receivers to assist out Bryce Younger, and he now not has a sure-handed veteran as an outlet — significantly on damaged performs. If Thielen was a key ingredient to Younger’s resurgence in 2024 then they simply gave him away for future belongings, once they might have saved him for another yr within the hopes the younger receivers would turn into the sure-handed playmakers Younger wants.
Intestine feeling on how this works out
It is going to be negligible for each groups. I don’t assume Bryce Younger falls off the face of the earth with out Thielen in his receiving corps, nor do I consider that Thielen turns the Vikings right into a Tremendous Bowl workforce. He’ll, nevertheless, enable Minnesota the very best probability to begin the season robust and strengthen their receiver room additional when Addison returns to his beginning position.
