Panthers’ Original Asking Price for Thielen was Insane

By    |  
Updated:
Follow Us
Adam Thielen
Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

I’m all for a good joke every once in a while, but the Carolina Panthers may be certifiably insane. The Minnesota Vikings want Adam Thielen and Adam Thielen wants to return to the Minnesota Vikings. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers want crazy pills.

There is no denying that Minnesota’s wide receiver situation, especially for the first three weeks of the season, is pretty awful. Jordan Addison is suspended, Jalen Nailor is hurt and no other WR has proven anything at the NFL level.

Heck, undrafted free agent Myles Price, who nobody was sure would make the roster at all, is currently third on the depth chart. Out in Carolina, the Panthers can see how thin the Vikings are at WR, and they’re hoping it translates to desperation up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

The Panthers want what from the Minnesota Vikings? For who?

There’s no denying that a significant portion of Minnesota’s interest in Adam Thielen is based in familiarity. For the coaching staff and front office, he represents a high-end plug-and-play option in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.

For Vikings fans, the potential return of the kid from Detroit Lakes represents the ultimate “one of us” reunion, which sports fans in this state are extremely sensitive to.

The impediment in trade talks between the Vikings and Panthers, thus far, has been the latter’s asking price. According to the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling, the Panthers’ original demand for Adam Thielen was a 3rd round draft pick, which is EXTREMELY high for a 35-year-old receiver on the decline.

“There’s been some discussion, and I’ve heard some of this, about the Panthers wanting a round three pick. That feels like a non-starter to me. I can’t imagine the Vikings doing that.”

Ben Goessling

The Panthers hold the asset Minnesota wants, and they have every right to dictate the asking price. But most teams would have hung up the phone and never called back, after that first conversation. Instead, the MN Vikings continue to try and work Carolina down.

Vikings continue to talk Panthers down

When Goessling was live with his Star Tribune cohort, Michael Rand, following the 3 p.m. deadline for 53-man roster cut-downs on Tuesday, the Panthers and Vikings were to the point where Ben believed they are now haggling over day three picks. Minnesota is offering a 7th rounder, he believes Carolina wants a 5th.

“If you’re talking a day 3 pick, say a [5th rounder] vs a [7th rounder], and I’ve heard some discussions that that’s some of the trade terms we are talking about.”

Ben Goessling

Minnesota can eat all of Thielen’s $6.25 million base salary, and even the $10.1 million cap hit this season. Of course, if they were to do that, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan would need to come down on his draft pick demands, something he has not been willing to do yet.

Adam Thielen is a 35-year-old veteran with 162 games under his belt. He’s not a young commodity that is continuing to develop. This isn’t an upside play for the Vikings, and it’s not likely to help them much into the future.

Right now the Vikings have six draft picks in the fifth round or later, in next year’s draft. The sixth rounder they got for Mekhi Blackmon could be packaged with a fifth and/or a seventh and, theoretically, that would be enough to get a deal done. Will Kwesi put that offer on the table?

Related: Minnesota Vikings 2025 Final 53-Man Roster

Then again, Carolina has kept Thielen around, going into the season, because they don’t feel a real need to trade him, especially given what he provides third-year quarterback, Bryce Young. Something has to give, but which side blinks first?

At the end of the day, Minnesota was never going to cough up their third round pick for Adam Thielen. They don’t even have a fourth rounder in 2026, outside of one expected compensatory 4th rounder, for Daniel Jones’ offseason departure in free agency.

Mentioned in this article:

More About:
0What do you think?Post a comment.