Steelers Sign Former Vikings All-Pro WR

On a busy day for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they claimed a veteran wide receiver who they hope can help solve some of their offensive woes down the stretch of the regular season.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Steelers have claimed Adam Thielen off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings.

Thielen, who requested his release from the Vikings in hopes of securing a bigger role in what's likely his final NFL season, now has a chance to make an impact for Pittsburgh.

Thielen's Recent Performance

Thielen was among the top receivers in the league early in his career with the Vikings. An undrafted free agent in 2013 out of Minnesota State, he made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2017 and 2018 while putting up a combined 2,649 yards and 13 touchdowns over that stretch.

He later signed with the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2023 campaign and recorded 1,014 yards that year before logging 615 with five scores in 10 contests last season.

Thielen was then traded back to the Vikings in August around the time of final roster cuts, but he hauled in just eight passes for 69 yards before parting ways with the organization.

Can Thielen Help Out Steelers?

It's no secret that Pittsburgh needs pass catchers in the worst way, and though Thielen may not have a ton left in the tank, he brings plenty of experience to the table.

He was on pace for just over 1,000 yards in Carolina last year before getting injured, so there is some hope on the Steelers' end that he can provide some sort of spark for Aaron Rodgers and their offense.

In terms of wide receivers, Calvin Austin III has the most yards of any player at the position outside of DK Metcalf with 278. He had a few miscues in the team's Week 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills, though, and he yet to prove that he can serve as a true No. 2 option.

Roman Wilson, a 2024 third-round pick, has flashed his potential with 166 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games with limited snaps, but he still has room to grow before becoming a staple in Pittsburgh.

Thielen isn't a good separator at this point in his career and has had some issues with drops this season, but he has flexibility in terms of his ability to play either in the slot or on the boundary and could theoretically still garner some targets from Rodgers as a bigger-bodied option at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds.

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