Get those No. 19 jerseys out.
After tons of speculation over the past week, the Vikings are bringing Adam Thielen back home to Minnesota where he belongs.
To brokerage the deal, the Vikings are trading the Carolina Panthers a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. To offset the cost, the Vikings are getting a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Not that the compensation should matter too much for the Vikings when considering everything Thielen will bring on and off the field.
Though the headlines about the homecoming pretty much write themselves, the Vikings would not have made this move if they didn’t think the 35-year-old veteran receiver could still contribute at a high level. In his most recent campaign with the Panthers, Thielen hauled in 48 receptions for 615 yards and 5 touchdowns across 10 games.
It’s likely that Thielen will take on an important role for the Vikings right away playing alongside Justin Jefferson while Jordan Addison serves his suspension and Jalen Nailor works his way back from a hand injury.
It helps that Thielen has familiarity with Kevin O’Connell and his offense having played for him in the past. It also helps that Thielen has familiarity with J.J. McCarthy after hosting a throwing session at Woodbury High School this summer.
Now to the sentimental stuff.
This type of full circle moment doesn’t happen in sports very often.
It’s not hyperbole to say Thielen is among the greatest receivers to ever play for the Vikings. A list that includes Randy Moss and Cris Carter at the top also features Thielen not too far behind those living legends.
After growing up in Detroit Lakes and going undrafted out of Minnesota State Mankato, Thielen famously came to the Vikings on a rookie tryout. He did enough to stick around, parlayed that into a contract, then slowly but surely turned himself into a legitimate superstar.
In nearly a decade with the Vikings, Thielen established himself as a face of the franchise, recording 534 receptions for 6,682 yards and 55 touchdowns.
As shocking as it was to see Thielen get released a couple of years ago while the Vikings revamped their roster, he now has a chance to finish his career where it started once upon a time.
Then it’s only a matter of time before that No. 19 jersey is hanging in the rafters.
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