Adam Thielen's time with the Minnesota Vikings may be coming to an end. While the two sides will talk ahead of free agency, there is a real possibility that the Vikings and their two-time Pro Bowl wideout will be parting ways, according to ESPN.
The Vikings have to shed significant salary cap space ahead of the start of the new league year. Minnesota entered the day being nearly $15 million over the cap, according to Spotrac. Thielen currently has a base salary of $11.817,647 million and a cap hit of $19.967,647 million for the 2023 season.
A former undrafted rookie, Thielen has been an extremely productive and consistent player for the majority of his career. A backup during his first two seasons, Thielen was elevated into the Vikings' starting lineup ahead of the 2015 season. He nearly topped 1,000 yards that season before catching 91 passes for 1,276 yards and four touchdowns the following season. Thielen put up career highs with 113 receptions and 1,373 yards in 2017 while helping the Vikings reach the NFC title game.
While his receiving yards have dipped, Thielen continues to have a nose for the end zone. He caught a career-high 14 touchdowns in 2020. He caught 10 touchdowns in 2021 and six touchdowns last season.
Losing Thielen would surely impact a Vikings offense that finished eighth in the NFL in scoring last season. The Vikings will undoubtedly be in the market for a new wideout in the event that they decide to part with Thielen, who would likely attract attention on the open market.
One team that may express interest is the Browns. Cleveland needs help at receiver, and Thielen is familiar with Browns coach Kevin Stefanski during his time as the Vikings' offensive coordinator.
