When the Pittsburgh Steelers spurned Roman Wilson for Adam Thielen, much of the fanbase was upset. Wilson, a third-round pick in 2024, flashed when given the opportunity this year (though his contributions were inconsistent). But with Thielen, there was never any upside.
In his first 11 games of the 2025 season with the Minnesota Vikings, Thielen reeled in just eight of 18 targets for a mere 69 yards (3.8 yards per target). Quarterbacks had a combined passer rating of just 55.1 when targeting the 35-year-old veteran, and there's a reason the Vikings were okay with granting his request to be released from the team.