After nine seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, which included a pair of Pro Bowl campaigns, former undrafted free agent wide receiver Adam Thielen wound up a cap casualty in 2023. Less than two weeks after he was cut loose by Minnesota, he wound up inking a three-year, 25.0 million deal with Carolina (via Spotrac).
WhileThielen will be in the final year of that contract, he is once again contemplating his professional football future. “I mean, every year I think I consider it. It’s no different than the last three years. Nothing has changed in the last three years as far as the process of the next two weeks. I’m going to take two weeks to be around my family, get my mind away from football, see how my body feels in two, three weeks and then be very clear of my intentions.”
As Thielen, this is nothing new for him, and a process that he has gone through in recent offseasons in terms of continuing his playing career. When asked whether ‘How much the place determines, ultimately, how much longer you want to play?’
“Definitely plays a factor in it. Obviously, the steps that we took as a team towards the end of the year this year, definitely play a factor in it…I think things are going in the right direction (with) this organization…”
Talk about the right direction? As was the case with the team and particularly quarterback Bryce Young, Thielen got off to a slow start. He caught a total of five passes for 69 yards during the team’s 0-2 start. In Week 3 at Las Vegas, he snared three passes for 40 yards and his first touchdown of the season.
A hamstring injury would sideline Thielen for the next seven games. Once he returned in Week 12, he was incredibly productive. In this team’s final seven contests, Thielen was targeted 50 times and caught 40 passes for 506 yards and four scores. Both Young and Thielen both played better after their respective returns, the former due to being benched.
It added up to a 4-5 finish after a 1-7 start. That encouraging second half may be just enough to sway the 11-year wideout to return in 2025.
