4 things we learned about the Vikings this offseason

Vikings value Thielen more than Diggs

Or at the very least, the team was willing to retain a 29-year-old hometown hero and banish a 26-year-old cryptic poster of tweets.

Stefon Diggs felt marginalized or something early last season and Vikings’ loyalists had a hunch he would eventually want out. Well, he got out.

Minnesota got an electric rookie wideout in return via the draft and what will turn out to be four more players by the end of next year’s draft. Rookie Justin Jefferson will immediately take a seat in the wide receiver room next to Thielen to see if the two can become the Vikings’ new dynamic duo.

What’s telling is that Minnesota parted ways with Diggs somewhat painlessly. Meaning, the deal felt like a no-brainer once the Vikings saw what Buffalo had in their saddle for barter.

Diggs is younger than Thielen by three years. Theoretically, one would probably want to keep the younger of the two men, all else being equal. And statistically, one cannot be closer bedfellows than Thielen and Diggs.

By implication, the Vikings felt Thielen was the better player–or more marketable of the two assets. The older wide receiver remains with the team and the brasher, younger fellow gets a new address.

It’s, therefore, somewhat evident Minnesota holds Thielen in a higher regard than Diggs.