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All abouts the wideouts


Klomp

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When the Minnesota Vikings lavished Kirk Cousins with a three-year, $84 million deal to become the QB1 of the franchise, most of the analysis centered on the one-time Pro Bowler resetting the quarterback market with a fully guaranteed contract. Now, I certainly understand why the signal-caller's unique pact served as a talking point on hot-take shows across the country, but astute observers should have spent more time talking about the explosive potential of the Vikings' aerial attack, with a pinpoint passer throwing to the best wide receiver tandem in football.

In Thielen, the Vikings have a crafty vertical receiver with big-play potential on the outside. He lulls defenders to sleep with his hesitations and head-and-shoulder fakes before running past coverage on double moves. No. 19 has nine receptions of at least 40 yards since the start of the 2016 campaign. Most impressively, he currently ranks second in the NFL in catches (47) and receiving yards (589), having just become the first player in the Super Bowl era to hit 100 yards in each of his team's first five games of the season. Amazing that this guy went undrafted in 2013

While Thielen racked up 1,276 receiving yards last season, Diggs has yet to post a 1,000-yard campaign. Regardless, he might be one of the most versatile pass catchers in the game today. He can win on the outside or from the slot as a slick route runner. No. 14's cat-like quickness makes him nearly impossible to guard on option routes and crossers between the numbers. With Diggs also capable of going deep, the Vikings have a multi-functional chain-mover at their disposal.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000973119/article/kirk-cousins-chose-wisely-early-grades-on-rookie-quarterbacks

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In 2002, Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison shattered the single-season reception record, moving the bar from 123 to 143. Sixteen years later, Vikings receiver Adam Thielen is on pace to nudge the thing upward by more than 10. Through six games in 2018, Thielen has 58 catches. That’s more than any player has ever had through six games in league history, and it puts him on pace for 154 for the season.

With 11 catches for 123 yards on Sunday, Thielen also has a league-leading 712 receiving yards. He also has the longest streak of 100-yard games to start a season in the Super Bowl era, and he’s one game shy of the all-time mark of seven, set by Charley Hennigan of the AFL’s Houston Oilers.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/10/15/adam-thielen-is-on-pace-to-set-the-single-season-reception-record/

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But how are games being won or lost amid the flurry of points being scored? That is to say, who is having the greatest impact on the final outcome in this offensive bonanza? Frelund said she zeroed in on the receiver position to “determine which wide receivers in today’s NFL have the greatest impact on winning games.” Adam Thielen came in at No. 2 on Frelund’s list behind Saints receiver Michael Thomas. She wrote:

"Thielen’s on-ball impact couldn’t be higher, between his leading the NFL in receiving yards and topping the century mark in each of his six games thus far. The traditional stats make sense. The advanced stats show that he has created the most separation and yards after the catch on plays where Kirk Cousins is under pressure and holds onto the ball for more than 2.5 seconds. Given that Cousins has been under pressure more than any other quarterback, Thielen’s ability to adjust and adapt is helping to both reduce the risk of turnovers and extend drives for the Vikings. This propels him all the way to second on this list, despite the fact that he has not faced as many No. 1 corners as some of the others listed here."

Listed after Thielen were Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins, Atlanta’s Julio Jones, Cincinnati’s A.J. Green, Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill, Los Angeles Chargers Keenan Allen, Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, Pittsburgh’s Juju Smith-Schuster and Green Bay’s Davante Adams.

https://www.vikings.com/news/lunchbreak-traditional-advanced-stats-have-thielen-among-nfl-com-s-most-impactfu?sf200226119=1

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3 hours ago, vikingsrule said:

Might Thielen become the NFLs highest paid WR? He's certainly playing like the best this year.

Highly unlikely. The truth is Thielen has very little, if any, leverage to get a new contract. A new contract would likely come as a professional courtesy from the Vikings. But, as it stands, Thielen is under contract through 2020. At which point, he’ll be 31 years old. Still young enough to be a productive receiver, but likely too old to get a big money contract. 

I’m expecting the Vikings to take care of Thielen in the offseason with a 2-3 year extension and a significant signing bonus. But I would be shocked if it came anywhere close to too 5 money. 

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This season, Cousins has been filling the air with footballs. He is second in the NFL with 185 completions and has thrown for 1,921 yards, fifth in the league. Nearly a third of Cousins’ completions have gone to Thielen. Despite defenses starting to key on him, Thielen hasn’t slowed down.

Thielen leads the NFL with 58 catches and 712 receiving yards. If his stats are projected over 16 games, Thielen would finish with 155 catches, breaking the NFL record of 143 by Indianapolis’ Marvin Harrison in 2002. And he is on pace for 1,899 receiving yards, not far from the league record of 1,964 set by Detroit’s Calvin Johnson in 2012.

Hall of fame wide receiver and CBS analyst James Lofton:  “Adam has short-area quickness and the ability to change directions. In addition to that, he has a really good understanding of what the defenders are trying to do against him, where their leverage is, and working against their leverage, and also finding the holes in zone coverage.”

https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/19/charlie-hennigans-family-watching-closely-as-vikings-adam-thielen-closes-in-on-an-nfl-record/

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On the Fox telecast during Minnesota’s 27-17 victory over Arizona, announcers noted that Thielen had recorded a sixth straight 100-yard game and was one game away from Hennigan’s record. A picture of Hennigan popped up on the screen.

“My friends and family were all of a sudden hitting me up,” said Taylor Hennigan, who has six brothers and sisters. “It was the first I’ve heard of it. Since then, I’ve been reading up on Thielen.”

So does Taylor Hennigan want him to break his father’s record?

“I’d like him to keep it, but at the same time it seems like (Thielen is) a really good guy all around,” Taylor said. “And this is giving my dad’s legacy some exposure since it was so long ago that he played. He’s had a lot of records that stood for decades.”

Hennigan played for the Oilers from 1960-66, and appeared in five AFL All-Star Games. In 1961, he caught 82 passes for 1,746 yards, a pro record that stood until San Francisco’s Jerry Rice had 1,848 yards in 1995. Hennigan caught 101 passes (for 1,546 yards) in 1964, a pro mark that lasted until Washington’s Art Monk had 106 receptions in 1984.

https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/19/charlie-hennigans-family-watching-closely-as-vikings-adam-thielen-closes-in-on-an-nfl-record/

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What does everyone think about Treadwell up to this point this season? I think he’s been doing some nice things outside of the Green Bay game. I would like to see him give a bit more, but he appears to have turned a corner into being at least productive as a #3. 

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14 minutes ago, wcblack34 said:

What does everyone think about Treadwell up to this point this season? I think he’s been doing some nice things outside of the Green Bay game. I would like to see him give a bit more, but he appears to have turned a corner into being at least productive as a #3. 

I think Treadwell should add 20 lbs and switch over to a blocking TE.   

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17 minutes ago, wcblack34 said:

What does everyone think about Treadwell up to this point this season? I think he’s been doing some nice things outside of the Green Bay game. I would like to see him give a bit more, but he appears to have turned a corner into being at least productive as a #3. 

He has improved from his first two seasons but that isn't saying much. If he doesn't learn to be useful on multiple special team units I don't see him having a very long career in the NFL. It is hard for teams to carry depth receivers that don't help on special teams. By now it is hard to see Treadwell as ever being more than a depth WR and he hasn't looked very good at that even this year.

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1 hour ago, wcblack34 said:

What does everyone think about Treadwell up to this point this season? 

i said a year ago that by the end of his career he should be up to 40 or 50 catches a year!

nah, i love the guy. hope he gets it figured out. Cousins sure likes him and he didn't have any drops today. 3 targets, 3 catches.

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