The 2025 campaign has not gone according to plan for the Minnesota Vikings. Through 12 games, they have just a 4-8 record, thanks in large part to the struggles of 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy under center. With just five games left, the Vikings have virtually no shot at finding their way into the postseason, meaning that the remainder of the season will be designed to figure out what the future holds for McCarthy.
After the team’s ugly Week 13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota granted veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen his release after he was a healthy scratch for the game. Now, the door is open for other players on the Vikings’ roster to replace Thielen, which led to head coach Kevin O’Connell sending rookie wide receiver Tai Felton a clear message ahead of the team’s Week 14 action.
Tai Felton Could See More Snaps with Vikings After Adam Thielen’s Release
Entering the 2025 campaign, the Vikings had a solid core group of wide receivers in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, and Thielen, with tight end T.J. Hockenson also factoring into the mix. The hope was that this group would aid McCarthy’s development, but these guys haven’t been able to do much to help the former Michigan Wolverines star get going under center.
That has left Felton, a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, on the sidelines for much of the season. While he’s gotten some work on special teams, whether it be as a kickoff returner or on the kick and punt coverage units, Felton has just one catch for nine yards on offense this year, as he’s been buried behind the aforementioned group of playmakers.
While Thielen wasn’t exactly making much of an impact on offense himself, his departure leaves a small void on offense that needs to be filled. According to O’Connell, it sounds like Felton is going to have a shot to fill that gap, as he admitted the team’s confidence in the rookie pass catcher contributed to the team’s decision to let go of Thielen.
“Because of the health at the receiver position, we really haven’t been able to see him a whole heck of a lot,” O’Connell said of Felton. “Obviously, Tai’s in the early stages, where he’s impacting the game tremendously in the kicking game, but he’s putting the work in every single day. We have a ton of confidence in him, and that definitely went into the equation of the recent roster moves.”
Vikings Looking for Any Sort of Positive Momentum on Offense in Week 14
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
The inconsistent play Minnesota has received under center has made it tough for the team to put many points on the board in 2025. McCarthy hasn’t looked good, and while Carson Wentz was passable during his time on the field, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury earlier this year. Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer didn’t look any better than McCarthy in Week 13, as he threw four interceptions in the team’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
McCarthy will return from a concussion that held him out last week in Week 14 when the Vikings square off against the Washington Commanders. While the Commanders are set to get Jayden Daniels back under center for this game, their defense is vulnerable, which means all eyes will be on McCarthy. Kickoff for this contest is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
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