Who Should I Start? Adam Thielen or Khalil Shakir

Wednesday, January 14, 1:25 PM

Wide receiver Adam Thielen announced his retirement from professional football on social media on Wednesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Thielen played 13 years in the NFL and was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Minnesota Vikings. The 35-year-old originally went undrafted before latching on with the Vikings in 2014. He played 10 years in Minnesota before two years with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 and 2024. Thielen began the 2025 campaign with the Vikings before latching on with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had 19 receptions for 186 yards and no touchdowns during the regular season in 16 games with Minnesota and Pittsburgh. Thielen will wrap up his NFL career with 704 catches for 8,497 yards and 64 touchdowns in 178 regular-season games played. His two Pro Bowl seasons came in back-to-back years with the Vikings in 2017 and 2018.

Friday, February 27, 2:17 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir, who signed a four-year, $60.2 million contract with the team in February of last year, is a player "likely taking on a bigger role" next season, according to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN. New head coach Joe Brady called Shakir "one of the team's best football players" and noted his ability to play both inside and outside. The 26-year-old has mostly operated out of the slot in his four years in Buffalo, but it sounds like Brady has more ideas of how to get him the ball in 2026. The former fifth-round pick in 2022 out of Boise State had 72 receptions on 95 targets for 719 yards and a career-high-tying four touchdowns in 16 regular-season games last season. Shakir also contributed 124 punt-return yards on special teams during the regular season. Shakir's involvement next year will also depend on any offseason additions on offense. It feels like the 6-foot, 190-pounder's ceiling was probably his 821-yard, 76-catch 2024 campaign.