The NFL suspended Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison for three games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy on Wednesday. Minnesota had braced for the suspension ever since Addison was arrested for DUI in California just over a year ago.
But now that it’s a reality, the bigger question is, What’s next?
Addison’s suspension creates a hole at the receiver spot opposite Jefferson. Jalen Nailor, Lucky Jackson, and Rondale Moore are the most likely to fill it. Still, there’s only one man for the job in the minds of Vikings fans.
Adam Thielen is entering the final year of his deal with the Carolina Panthers, and Vikings fans believe it will be a matter of time until the Vikings make a trade to bring him back to Minnesota. While nostalgia will always reign supreme in a state that takes pride in someone being “One of Us,” Thielen’s return would be overkill to account for Addison’s return.
There’s a case to be made for bringing Thielen back. Thielen grew up cheering for the Vikings in Detroit Lakes. He went to college at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and considered selling dental equipment before making Minnesota’s roster in a tryout.
Thielen carved out a niche on special teams before ascending to the starting lineup. He ranks third in receptions (534) and receiving touchdowns (55) and fifth in receiving yards. It’s one of the coolest origin stories in franchise history, but one you probably already knew because it’s been mentioned during the broadcast of every game Thielen has played in since 2016.
It’s highly unlikely that Kevin O’Connell is using the selling point of “He’s from Minnesota!” to convince Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to call the Panthers. There have to be football reasons to make a deal, and there are some benefits to bringing Thielen in.
Thielen already has experience in O’Connell’s offense, even if there was a rough learning curve. When O’Connell arrived in Minnesota before the 2022 season, Thielen admitted he was “swimming” in the new terminology. While O’Connell may have changed the terminology over time, the underlying concepts may remain the same, providing Thielen a quick learning curve to join the lineup.
There’s also previous experience working with J.J. McCarthy. Thielen worked out with McCarthy the past two summers and gave glowing praise to the first-year starter.
“He’s got all the things that it takes to be a successful player in this league, and the things that we’ve talked about, how I’ve gotten to Year 13, he’s already got it,” Thielen told KSTP’s Alec Ausmus. “He’s got that consistency, he’s got that mindset, he’s got all the skills to be able to play at a high level.
“I’m really excited, now in my second summer working with him, to see him get an opportunity and to see what he does with the opportunity, because I see it now on the field, just [with] his mindset and all the things that ti takes to be a great quarterback in this league and I’ve been around a lot of great ones. He has everything you need, so I’m excited to see what happens.”
Outside of previous connections, Thielen remains productive as he enters his mid 30s. He caught 103 passes for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns in 2023 and caught 40 passes for 506 yards and four touchdowns in the final seven games after returning from a hamstring injury last season.
While this sounds like a guy the Panthers may want to hold on to, they may be wise to move on. Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker could all benefit from extra reps, which would help solidify a young core that the Panthers hope will propel them out of the NFC South basement in the coming years.
So, why wouldn’t the Vikings let Thielen come finish the story in Minnesota? Because, like the case to bring him in, there are reasons on and off the field.
Thielen’s departure from Minnesota wasn’t clean. After getting a raise before the 2022 season, Thielen had a modest first season in O’Connell’s system, catching 70 passes for 716 yards and six touchdowns. Most receivers would take this on a team that made the playoffs. Still, there were grumblings that he didn’t have “opportunities to show what he can do” and “feel valued as a receiver” despite finishing second on the team with 107 targets.
Even Thielen acknowledged it was “pretty clear that they had a different vision for me” when the two sides couldn’t agree on a restructured contract, and it led the Vikings to select Addison in the first round of the 2023 draft. While Thielen has experience in the offense, you could say the same thing about Nailor or Jackson, who already know what their role is on the team.
The Vikings are also better equipped to handle Addison’s absence in years past, with a healthy T.J. Hockenson serving as a de facto No. 2 receiver and a strong running game anchored by Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason.
Bringing Thielen back to win a Super Bowl with his childhood team would be an awesome ending to the Disney+ movie he’s probably going to make in the next decade. But it’s also overkill for a team equipped to handle Addison’s absence. It’s something that could be revisited as the trade deadline draws near, but Addison’s suspension shouldn’t be the push that brings Thielen home.