Inside The Vikings

Schefter: Adam Thielen trade 'doesn't look like it's gonna happen'

The Vikings and Panthers seem to still be rather far apart in their discussions over a potential Thielen trade to Minnesota.
Will Ragatz|
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.
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. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Vikings

Things can always change, but it's looking more and more like an Adam Thielen trade to the Vikings may not end up happening after all.

Buzz was building towards a Thielen return to Minnesota last week, but recent reporting has indicated that that the Vikings and Panthers remain far apart in terms of their asking prices on a potential deal. Carolina clearly doesn't want to part with Thielen unless the Vikings agree to their terms, and Minnesota doesn't seem willing to budge on its offer.

The latest update comes from ESPN's Adam Schefter, who said on The Pat McAfee Show that it doesn't currently look like a trade is going to happen.

"They have not made much progress," Schefter said. "They have not been able to bridge their differences. And again, I'll lean on the (Trey) Hendrickson, (Terry) McLaurin theories that these things sometimes can come together, but Carolina is not willing to (just) give Adam Thielen away. So right now, subject to this changing, it looks like it won't happen. But you never know if there's gonna be a last push here, today or tomorrow, to get a deal done. ... The Vikings have tried, and they continue to try, but up until now it just doesn't look like it's gonna happen."

The Vikings are in dire need of immediate wide receiver help, considering Jordan Addison is suspended for three games and Jalen Nailor's Week 1 status is in jeopardy due to a hand injury. Thielen makes all kinds of sense as a Vikings legend who knows Kevin O'Connell's offense and has remained productive into his mid-30s. But because he's been Bryce Young's top target over the past couple of years, the Panthers are in no rush to ship him back to Minnesota, even if Thielen reportedly wants to go back home.

The Panthers releasing veteran receiver Hunter Renfrow on Tuesday afternoon would also seem to suggest that they plan on holding onto Thielen for a third year.

One pivot for the Vikings could be to sign a different former receiver of theirs in K.J. Osborn, who is now a free agent after the Commanders released him.

"Now, if you're the Vikings, you say yeah we'd love to have Adam Thielen, but we're not gonna pay what Carolina wants, maybe we just go sign K.J. Osborn, who the Commanders released today," Schefter said.

We'll see if the Vikings up their offer or if they end up moving on from the Thielen idea.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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