MN Vikings Were Sniffing Around Another WR

The Minnesota Vikings wanted Adam Thielen. Adam Thielen wanted the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota Vikings fans, Minnesota State Mankato fans, and everyone who loves a good story, wanted it to happen. The deal got done on Wednesday morning.

While they were engaging with the Carolina Panthers on Adam Thielen though, the Vikings were also looking elsewhere. It would never have been smart to have all of their eggs in one basket.

Minnesota doesn’t need another starting wideout, but there’s no reason they should stop looking for depth.

Kendrick Bourne a Minnesota Vikings target

Jalen Nailor has been injured for weeks and recently underwent surgery. Jordan Addison is suspended for three weeks. That adds up to MN Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell having opportunities on offense. Kendrick Bourne was someone that intrigued the Vikings, and now he’s on the open market.

Vikings had expressed interest in Kendrick Bourne prior to the Adam Thielen trade, and others also are expected to be interested. https://t.co/VWSkkpFPp3

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2025

Last offseason K.J. Osborn went from MN Vikings WR3 to signing with the Patriots. He wound up headed to Washington midseason and it was veteran Kendrick Bourne who drew attention from rookie quarterback Drake Maye.

Now both Osborn and Maye are on the open market, and Minnesota could provide a fit for either of them. Bourne played in 12 games (nine starts) with New England last season. He turned 28 receptions into 305 yards and a touchdown.

Bourne is 30 years old, but that’s a spring chicken in comparison to the recently acquired Thielen. He has often worked in the slot and been a down-depth chart option for teams. Across eight seasons, Bourne has eclipsed 500 yards just twice.

Related: Thielen Family Goes Crazy After Hearing About Trade to Vikings

If Minnesota wants to safeguard itself against poor performance or injury uncertainty from Nailor, then someone like Bourne makes sense. It’s uncertain how the veteran would view his path to playing time for the Vikings, but it’s hard to imagine he would struggle to see the field.

Wednesday represented the Vikings getting their top target to complement Justin Jefferson and eventually Jordan Addison. They still can improve the roster on the fringes and staying engaged with Bourne wouldn’t be a bad way to make it happen.