Kirk Cousins: "Adam Thielen Will Be Ready to Play in Seattle"

The Vikings' quarterback is confident he'll have both of his top receivers back in Week 13.

Nothing is official yet, but it seems like a pretty good bet that Adam Thielen will be ready to go for the Vikings' huge Monday Night Football game in Seattle on December 2nd.

On the "Under Center" podcast that he hosts with KFAN's Mark Rosen, Kirk Cousins expressed confidence that Thielen and his hamstring will be good to go against the Seahawks.

@KirkCousins8 said without hesitation on Under Center, Adam Thielen will be ready to play in Seattle following the bye week

— Mark Rosen (@KFANRosen) November 18, 2019

Whether or not Mike Zimmer is a fan of players making public statements about injuries is another matter.

Thielen has missed the majority of the last five games after injuring his hamstring on a touchdown catch against the Lions in Week 7. He attempted a comeback against the Chiefs two weeks later, but re-aggravated the injury early in the first quarter.

The Vikings held Thielen out for the last two games, dramatic wins over the Cowboys and Broncos, to give him as much time as possible to let the hamstring heal. Now, it appears he'll be back for the season's final five games.

Even without one of their star receivers, the Vikings passing game has been fairly successful over the past month. Stefon Diggs has had some big games despite receiving extra defensive attention, rookie Bisi Johnson has stepped up and been a pleasant surprise as Thielen's replacement, and tight ends Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith Jr. have also seen their pass-catching roles increase. Rudolph has five touchdowns in the five games Thielen has missed.

However, Thielen's return should give the Vikings' offense another level. His ability to win on short and intermediate routes, especially on third down, will be huge for sustaining drives. He also is an elite weapon in the red zone, having scored seven touchdowns before the injury.