Florio floats Adam Thielen, two others as WR trade targets for Vikings

There’s no question that the Vikings are going to make some sort of addition — and perhaps multiple additions — at the wide receiver position over the next week or so. It’s unavoidable with Jordan Addison suspended for three games, Jalen Nailor dealing with a possibly significant hand injury, and Rondale Moore out for the year. On Tuesday morning, Tom Pelissero reported that the Vikings are actively looking at the trade market for receiver help.

The question, of course, is who the Vikings might target. And with roster cutdown day less than a week away, the possibilities are seemingly endless. There are all kinds of theoretical trade candidates out there, not to mention players who will wind up on waivers or joining the free agent pool. For now, all we can do is speculate.

“This is part of the game we play in advance of the roster cutdown,” NBC’s Mike Florio said. “Do you trade for somebody who could be cut? Do you wait to see if he is cut? Does a team keep him on the roster a little bit longer to squeeze a draft pick out of the Vikings? … They need to be ready to unleash J.J. McCarthy, and if he doesn’t have good receivers, how are you gonna get the most out of the quarterback?”

Florio floated three names — Adam Thielen, Allen Lazard, and Mitchell Tinsley — so let’s start there.

Thielen is far and away the most obvious candidate. He’s a Vikings legend who is getting up there in years but has continued to play at a high level over the past couple seasons with the Panthers. Thielen, who turns 35 this week, had a 1,000-yard season with Carolina in 2023 and might’ve had another one last year if he hadn’t missed seven games with a hamstring injury. He knows Kevin O’Connell’s offense from the 2022 season, he’s caught passes from J.J. McCarthy in the offseason, and he might be expendable for the Panthers, who have younger options ready to emerge.

The logical concerns for the Vikings would be Thielen’s age and his $6.25 million base salary. But if the goal is to get someone who knows the offense and has reliable hands, there isn’t a clearer fit out there.

Lazard, 29, has spent the last two seasons with the Jets after beginning his career with five years in Green Bay. He’s a solid depth option who has had at least 450 yards in five of the last six years. At 6’5″, he’s a threat in the red zone. New York could be willing to part with him.

Tinsley would be an interesting one. He’s a former undrafted free agent who has had a breakout preseason for the Bengals after spending the last couple years on the Commanders’ practice squad. Tinsley had five catches for 73 yards and two touchdowns on Monday night against his old team. He might just make Cincinnati’s roster outright.

Hayden Winks of Underdog Fantasy also floated a few names, including Dolphins star Tyreek Hill, which would be a league-shaking move. It seems very unlikely that the Vikings will swing a blockbuster for someone like Hill or Terry McLaurin, considering their WR need is more short-term in nature, but who knows?

Thielen and McLaurin were among the nine names we listed in a story this morning.

Again, the possibilities are basically endless. In addition to Thielen, other former Vikings out there include K.J. Osborn and Brandon Powell. The free agent market has guys like Amari Cooper and Gabe Davis and Tyler Boyd and D.J. Chark. As the August 26 roster cutdown deadline approaches, trade candidates and castoffs from other teams will emerge. It’s only a matter of time until GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah makes some sort of move to bolster his wide receiver room.