Pittsburgh Steelers give the Minnesota Vikings an early Christmas present one day after making surprising move
The Pittsburgh Steelers claimed Adam Thielen, and it makes a difference for the Minnesota Vikings in 2026.
It came as quite a shock on Monday morning when the Minnesota Vikings announced they were moving on from wide receiver Adam Thielen. He had requested his release so he could catch on with a contender for the end of what he’s calling his final season.
We didn’t have to wait long to see where Thielen would end up. Because the Vikings cut him after the trade deadline, he was subject to waivers, which means a team that isn’t in the playoff hunt could claim him.
Depending on how you view it, that happened when the Pittsburgh Steelers claimed Thielen on Tuesday.
Adam Thielen claimed by Pittsburgh Steelers
After starting the season at 4-1, the Steelers are now 6-6 with losses in their last two games. It’s been tough for the team, including having starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers dealing with a significant left wrist injury. They do have a need at wide receiver, as their second wide receiver spot has been far from consistent.
Thielen hasn’t been great this season, catching just eight passes for 69 yards on 16 targets, while also logging three drops, per Pro Football Focus. It’s not a great resume for Thielen, who has played just 185 snaps this season, including 24 in the previous five games.
He brings a veteran presence to the wide receiver room, and he gets to play with his longtime friend Rodgers, as the two have long had a great relationship off the field. For Thielen’s sake, hopefully, he has a great rest of the season.
For the Vikings, the move saves approximately $883k on the salary cap, as he had $3 million in guaranteed salary remaining on his deal. That will help moving forward, as their cap space is not in a great place for the 2026 season, but they can still maneuver to create more space.
Little things add up and make a difference when it comes to the salary cap, and the Vikings could use a little bit of help.
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