Minnesota Vikings could bring back former Pro Bowler if he becomes available

Wide receiver three is one of many weak spots on the Minnesota Vikings roster. After K.J. Osborn left in free agency, it left a major hole in Kevin O'Connell's offense. Osborn wasn't a great player but he was more than capable in the role and made big plays when necessary.

Right now, Brandon Powell is set to be WR3 this season. O'Connell is a big fan of Powell and he played well last year when called upon once Justin Jefferson went down with a knee injury. Jalen Nailor, Trishton Jackson and Thayer Thomas are all intriguing options for the role.

Even with the talent in-house, the Vikings could look elsewhere. The Star Tribune's Ben Goessling guest hosted on the flagship radio station for the Vikings KFAN and believes that a reunion with Adam Thielen could be a possibility.

“Adam Thielen is still under contract in Carolina, but he's been working out with J.J. McCarthy. And if he ends up getting cut in Carolina, I guess I wouldn't be stunned by that. I mean, it certainly would make some sense for him to come back… And I think [the Vikings would] have some interest in that if that ever were to come up… I think the relationship is such that maybe if that would come up, that could be an option for him at some point.”

Thielen was seen working out with quarterback J.J. McCarthy earlier this summer at a local Minneapolis suburb high school. That is one of many connections that Thielen has to the Vikings, as he spent 10 seasons with his favorite childhood team.

Thielen didn't leave the Vikings under the best circumstances but they weren't terrible either. The Vikings needed to be smarter with the salary cap and were paying Thielen a lot of money while he wasn't performing as well as he was when he signed his four-year, $64 million extension. Thielen believed he was still a top guy and went to the Carolina Panthers. While he played well, it wasn't on an elite level and they might choose to move on from him since it will save them a lot of money in a pivotal 2025 season.

If the Vikings choose to make the move, it would be a big one for the Vikings fanbase, as there is a lot of love for the hometown boy. However, he's still under contract with the Panthers, meaning a cut or trade would have to occur to make a deal possible.

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