Coach Mike Zimmer said Thielen didn't play in Saturday's preseason win against the Cardinals because the wide receiver "was a little sore," Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Zimmer intimated Thielen would have gutted it out if it was the regular season, but there was no reason to risk aggravating the concern, hence the precaution. Thielen is unlikely to take the field in preseason Week 4, so he'll have approximately two weeks to get back to 100 percent for the Vikings' regular-season opener Sunday, Sept. 8 versus the Falcons.