Adam Thielen Rumors: Vikings Open to WR's Return Next Season, Contract Talks Underway

The Minnesota Vikings are reportedly "open" to veteran wideout Adam Thielen returning in 2023, and the two sides have had "preliminary talks," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, but there are some caveats.

Per that report, Thielen's "$19.967 million cap hit is an issue (probably more so than his $13.3 million in cash), and he would have trade interest, so the team and player must find a sweet spot for him to retire a Viking. Seems like something they can work out."

Thielen, 32, found himself as the third option in Minnesota's passing game once the team acquired tight end T.J. Hockenson midseason.

While Hockenson caught 60 passes for 519 yards and three touchdowns in just 10 games with the Vikings and Justin Jefferson put up the sort of astronomical numbers (128 catches for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns) that won him the Offensive Player of the Year award, Thielen posted a more modest 70 catches for 716 yards and six touchdowns in 17 games.

Hardly shabby production, of course, but a far cry from the excellent numbers in his prime, when he was a two-time Pro Bowler and notched four seasons with 900 or more receiving yards in a five-year span between 2016-20.

Thielen was also a huge red zone weapon for Kirk Cousins between the 2020-21 seasons, catching 24 touchdowns in that time. But Cousins spread the scoring wealth around in 2022, with 10 different receivers finding paydirt. In 2021, that number was seven.

Regardless of his changing role, Thielen—who went to college at Minnesota State—doesn't want to leave the Vikings.

"For me, I just wanna be able to help a team win. ... Will that be in Minnesota? I don't know," he said Thursday during an appearance on ESPN's First Take. "I hope so. I hope to retire a Minnesota Viking. I grew up a Vikings fan, watching Cris Carter and Randy Moss, and I wanna retire a Viking. Will that happen? I don't know, this is also a business, and I also want my opportunity to show I can play at a high level, so we'll see what happens."

It sounds as though the Vikings are open to that possibility as well, albeit likely not at his current cap hit.