Sep 18, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) runs on to the field before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
The offseason is the time for heavy speculation in the NFL landscape. Did the Vikings get better or worse? Can free agent signing Jonathan Greenard replace Danielle Hunter? Does rookie J.J. McCarthy redshirt his debut season, and if so, how well does Sam Darnold play after six stumbling seasons? As we’re nearing the end of those debates with the arrival of training camp, let’s take a look at the weekly rumor mill.
Weekly Vikings Rumors
Some old friends to return and a big trade in the making?
Rumor 1: Adam Thielen’s Return
Oct 1, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) (left) and Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn (17) (right) after the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Adam Thielen’s name has surfaced in some trade chatter. The reasons are obvious: The Vikings are searching for a new WR3 after K.J. Osborn’s departure to New England, and Thielen is a Vikings legend who just worked out with McCarthy and praised him glowingly. He left the last offseason following a release.
After a free agency journey in which he tried to find a new home, he signed with the Carolina Panthers, a team that turned out to be the worst in the league according to their record. Thielen produced his first season with 1,000 yards since 2018 and eclipsed 100 receptions in a season for the second time in his career. However, one could argue that his numbers were inflated because the QBs didn’t have anyone else to throw to.
Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8), wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18), and wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) celebrate the win against the New England Patriots after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Carolina has added former Steelers wideout Diontae Johnson and first-rounder Xavier Legette, so Thielen may no longer be the top target. If the Panthers wanted to save some cap space, they could ship the veteran to a WR-needy team one year into his three-year deal. Thielen might also want to leave to either join a contender or, well, his hometown team.
Thielen will turn 34 in August. While the story would be cool, the Vikings will not pay a draft pick and his salary to have an aging receiver on the roster who doesn’t seem to be a big fan of the decision-makers in Minnesota.
Verdict: Sell
Rumor 2: Marshon Lattimore New CB1
Sep 18, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) signals a turnover by Carolina Panthers in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
The cornerback crew has been an issue for years. Byron Murphy will play one of the two (three in nickel defenses) cornerback spots; the other roles are vacant. Contenders for the jobs are last year’s CB2 Akayleb Evans, 2023 third-rounder Mekhi Blackmon, free agent signing Shaquill Griffin, and perhaps 2022 second-rounder Andrew Booth.
An upgrade could arrive via trade. The Saints might want to part ways with Marshon Lattimore, a four-time Pro Bowler. In the last two seasons, Lattimore missed 17 contests, and he is now 28 years old. One could wonder if he is still a premier cornerback, and the conclusion to that question is likely a no.
Thielen’s price might be low, but Lattimore would cost draft compensation worth at least one day two pick, and his salary is quite extraordinary in 2025 and 2026. If the Vikings were contending this season and a cornerback was the missing piece, Lattimore could be an option. But since it seems to be more of a transformational year, launching an all-in move doesn’t make much sense.
Verdict: Sell
Rumor 3: Jordan Addison’s Breakout Season
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) does a Lambeau Leap with Vikings fans Craig Lindsay, Nick Johnson and Chris Gangl against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Vikings won the game, 24-10.
Sophomore receiver Jordan Addison is coming off a wonderful debut season in which he showed why the Vikings pulled the trigger in the first round. He immediately became Justin Jefferson’s partner on the offense, and his ten receiving touchdowns led all rookies.
Reporter Stacey Dales talked about the 22-year-old on NFL Network: “I want to see Jordan Addison because I was told he had an incredible offseason. Could this be the best wide receiver duo in the National Football League? This young man, he had ten receiving touchdowns to lead all rookie receivers last season. He had four different quarterbacks in the process and a stretch in which Justin Jefferson was injured, I think it was seven games. This young man could have a whopping sophomore season in the NFL and we’ll see what happens at quarterback. Sam Darnold has walked into a pretty nice situation.”
Addison’s production will depend on the quarterbacks passing him the ball, and Darnold or McCarthy will surely be worse than Kirk Cousins. However, the other side of the coin is that they are upgrades over the backup QB carousel from last season. Head coach Kevin O’Connell won’t stop calling a pass-heavy offense. Outside of Jefferson, there’s no one to take away his targets until T.J. Hockenson returns from his injury, so Addison’s numbers are repeatable, and with more experience, improving them is plausible.
Verdict: Buy
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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Publish date : 2024-07-12 21:15:00
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