Vikings star is unsure about his future with team
The Minnesota Vikings must make a handful of difficult decisions on some of its most impactful players in the 2023 offseason. One player who most complicates the Vikings’ salary cap situation is wide receiver Adam Thielen. Thielen is set to carry a $19.967 million cap hit into the 2023 season, per Spotrac. That number ranks […]
The Minnesota Vikings must make a handful of difficult decisions on some of its most impactful players in the 2023 offseason. One player who most complicates the Vikings’ salary cap situation is wide receiver Adam Thielen.
Thielen is set to carry a $19.967 million cap hit into the 2023 season, per Spotrac. That number ranks second highest on the team, only trailing quarterback Kirk Cousins ($36.25 million).
In fact, if Thielen is on Minnesota’s roster on March 17, 11.817 of his base salary would become guaranteed.
On Thursday, Thielen joined the Pat McAfee Show to discuss the possibility of reworking his deal.
“It’s a little interesting,” Thielen acknowledged. “We’re working through some stuff because I’ve got a big cap hit.”
It’s important to remember that Thielen’s cap hit for 2023 is so high because he agreed to restructure his contact last season to give the Vikings more wiggle room with the salary cap.
Viking For Life?
On Thursday, the Vikings wideout went into more detail on ESPN, where he made sure to discuss what his future in Minnesota might look like.
“I want to be able to help a team and show that I can play at a high level to help them win,” Thielen said. “Will that be in Minnesota? I don’t know, I hope so. I hope to retire a Minnesota Viking. Will that happen? I don’t know. This is also a business.”
Thielen, who turns 33 in August, isn’t the same Pro Bowl caliber player that he was five seasons ago. And with the meteoric rise of Justin Jefferson, paying the team’s WR2 nearly $20 million just doesn’t add up.
That being said, he played in all 17 games, recording 70 catches for 716 yards and six touchdowns. There is no question that Thielen is still capable of producing for this high-flying Vikings offense. The two sides must now work together to hash out a deal that makes sense for both sides before March 17 rolls around.
Featured image via Matt Krohn – USA TODAY Sports
