The Adam Thielen era is over in Minnesota.
On Friday, the Minnesota Vikings announced that they released Thielen, ending a nine-year relationship.
The #Vikings have released WR Adam Thielen. https://t.co/O9kuLEUhir pic.twitter.com/1ifgBHlmYU
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) March 10, 2023
During that time, Thielen blossomed into one of the better wide receivers in the league. In 2017 and 2018, he was a Pro Bowler, reaching over 1,000 yards in both seasons.
The move saves the Vikings $6.417 million against the cap but does incur a hefty dead-cap penalty. Regardless, Thielen’s release helps the Vikings become cap compliant and opens up more possibilities to upgrade the team in free agency.
While replacing Thielen’s status off-the-field won’t be easy, here are 11 players the Vikings can sign to help replace his production on it.
Chosen “Robbie” Anderson
It’s hard to believe that Chosen Anderson had 1,000 yards two seasons ago. After exceeding the 1,000-yard mark with Carolina in 2020, Anderson was on the move to Arizona just two years later. Anderson’s time in Arizona was uninspiring, to say the least, as he had just seven receptions over ten games.
Although he struggled in Arizona, Anderson’s ceiling makes him an intriguing option. Even at 29, Anderson is still a legitimate deep threat who can help push defenses vertically. He might come at a discount following his release from the Cardinals this off-season.
Jakobi Meyers
New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers has finally figured out how to score a touchdown. After scoring just two touchdowns over his first three seasons, Meyers found the secret sauce and hauled in six touchdowns last season.
Now, Meyers enters free agency following a career year. Over his career, Meyers has proven an ability to get open, especially in the intermediate game. He won’t make guys miss after the catch, but his ability to make plays makes him an intriguing complimentary wide receiver next to Justin Jefferson.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
JuJu Smith-Schuster enters free agency fresh off a Super Bowl victory. It’s hard to project what Smith-Schuster is looking for in free agency, but a successful season in Kansas City will make his market something to watch. This means the Vikings, who are already strapped for cash, might be outbid for his services.
Smith-Schuster finished with 933 yards, the second-highest in his career, and three touchdowns last season. Unlike Meyers, Smith-Schuster allows the offense to get more yards per catch. That skill alone opens up more possibilities for Smith-Schuster’s usage for the Vikings.
Sammy Watkins
It might seem like Sammy Watkins is older than he is, but he is the same age as Chosen “Robbie” Anderson. Yep, you read that right Sammy Watkins is 29 years old. Regardless of the brief surprise that gave, Watkins offers an intriguing, cost-effective option to replace Adam Thielen.
Last season, Watkins played in 12 games for the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens, tallying 394 yards. There hasn’t found much production since 2019 — when he totaled over 600 yards receiving — but Watkins’ ability to win deep is still valuable, especially for the Vikings’ offense. Last season, Watkins finished with an average of 13.1 yards per target.
Olamide Zaccheaus
Olamide Zaccheaus is one of the more intriguing options on this list. After struggling to carve out a consistent offensive role in his first two seasons, Zaccheaus became a reliable target for the Atlanta Falcons. The rise in responsibility culminated last season when he finished with a career-high 533 yards and three touchdowns.
Zaccheaus is best at the intermediate level of the field, but he can still push defenses vertically at times. Last season, he averaged 11.5 yards per target and four yards after the catch per catch. At 25 years old, Zaccheaus can be a player the Vikings can build around for the near future.
D.J. Chark
The Vikings are in need of a field stretcher at wide receiver and they would get that in a big package with Chark. When he came out of LSU, Chark tested in the 90th percentile or higher in the vertical jump, broad jump, 40-yard dash, 20-yard split and 10-yard split. The Sean McVay coaching tree has historically prioritized jumps over the 84th percentile and Chark has those, along with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s 10-yard split. He would likely come at somewhat of a discount due to the fact that he is coming off of an injury-plagued year.
Robert Woods
The easy connection here is that Woods was with the Rams for two years with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. He knows the offense well and would provide a veteran presence to the receiver room. Despite his age being 32, Woods will now be two years removed from the ACL injury that ended his 2021 season and should be improved over his disastrous tenure with the Tennessee Titans last year.
Nelson Agholor
The Vikings need someone who can stretch the field in a major way. Having that weapon can make a massive difference underneath and in the intermediate with both Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson. Agholar isn’t great at doing a lot of different things, but he can stretch the field vertically. With the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020, Agholar was excellent in that role and he can do the same thing for the Vikings.
Marvin Jones Jr.
A real veteran at the position, Jones Jr. has been around the league in a good way. Vikings fans will remember him from his time with the Detroit Lions where he made the Vikings cornerbacks’ lives a nightmare for five seasons. He spent the last two years with the Jacksonville Jaguars and is trending downward, but would provide that X receiver for your offense at a reduced cost.
Sterling Shepard
If you don’t want Agholar to be your field stretcher, Shepard is arguably a better option. He is younger and more explosive than the former. What is interesting about Shepard is parsing out his injury history. He has missed 39 games over the last six seasons, including 14 last year with a torn ACL. Because of that, he could end up being a bargain, which could be beneficial for the Vikings.
Allen Lazard
Most people have Lazard as the number one option on the wide receiver market and it’s not hard to see why. He is versatile, has size, can go get the ball, and has some yards after the catch ability. With the Green Bay Packers, Lazard was relied upon by Aaron Rodgers as the guy this past season. One thing that sets Lazard apart is his ability to block. That is crucial for the Vikings 11 personnel system and, if available at the right price, should be pursued.
Darius Slayton
A fifth-round pick out of Auburn, Slayton emerged with the Giants during his rookie season with 48 receptions, 741 yards and eight touchdowns. That was his peak, as his numbers got slight better in receptions (50) and yards (750) but only had seven total touchdowns over the last three years. A field-stretcher, Slayton has been relatively durable with only seven games missed in his first four seasons.
