The Seattle Seahawks look poised for a playoff run, and depth at key positions never hurts.
Ironically, the Seahawks could land a two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver from the team they just slammed 26-0 on Sunday. Adam Thielen, also a one-time second-team All-Pro, got released by the Minnesota Vikings at his request on Monday, so he could link up with a contender.
Thielen, 35, has 693 catches for 8,380 yards and 64 touchdowns in his career. He is less than a year removed from a productive season with the Carolina Panthers, where he had 48 receptions for 615 yards and five touchdowns.
The Vikings didn’t utilize Thielen much amid eight catches for 69 yards, but the Minnesota passing game has been dismal all season as Seahawks fans witnessed on Sunday. Seattle doesn’t have an immediate need at wideout with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp.
However, depth could help offset potential injuries as the Seahawks could make a deep playoff run. In addition, quarterback Sam Darnold could use an additional target for defenses to tangle with and take pressure off the top wideouts.
Thielen also has familiarity with Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who served in the same role with the Vikings during the early years of Thielen’s career.
Additional Receiver Depth Would Help Against Stronger Defenses
GettyJaxon Smith-Njigba only had two catches against the Vikings on Sunday.
The Vikings keyed on Smith-Njigba and held him to two catches and 23 yards on Sunday, and that’s coming a strong defense on a 4-8 team beset by offensive woes. It could easily get more challenging in the playoffs for Darnold to feed Smith-Njigba the ball.
“Yeah, I think it goes both ways. I think if teams pressure us, we can make them pay. If teams don’t pressure us sometimes they can put guys in certain areas to take Jaxon (Smith-Njigba) away,” Darnold told reporters on Sunday after the win. “Sometimes it can go both ways. Today I just felt like they did a really good job. They had a good plan. Again, we’ve got to look at ourselves in the mirror and see how we can be better.”
Smith-Nijgba acknowledged the challenge, too.
“Yeah, Coach (Brian) Flores does a great job mixing up looks, and we’re taking what they give us, and Sam (Darnold) made the best decisions for the team, and Zach (Charbonnet) and K9 (Kenneth Walker III) doing their thing,” Smith-Njigba told reporters on Sunday. “It was one of those days.”
Seahawks Must Adapt Either Way
Whether or not the Seahawks bring in a seasoned veteran leader like Thielen, the Seahawks will need to adjust offensively after being held in check by the Vikings. Darnold mustered just 128 yards through the air in that game.
“You play against this defense and what Flo presents, and you have to be on your stuff,” Kupp told reporters on Sunday. “You have to be able to adapt, move, and understand that there’s going to be some looks that we haven’t practiced.”
“There’s going to be some things out there that you just have to know your rules and be able to go make it happen. Players have to make plays. I thought, specifically for us at receiver, you’ve got to find ways to get the ball in your hands and make some explosives off the ball.
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