NFL rule forces Vikings to release one of their best players
The Minnesota Vikings moved on from a longtime fan favorite on Friday morning
There truly is no offseason in the NFL and the Minnesota Vikings reminded us of that on Friday morning.
It seems like there's never a quiet week in the NFL. Whether it's the combine, the NFL draft, or the start of free agency, there's seemingly major news every week.
And this week was no different.
On Friday morning, the Vikings released two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Adam Thielen.
Thielen, who had a cap hit of $19.97 million in 2023, hasn't played at a Pro Bowl level in recent years, but he's still a quality wide receiver. The decision to release Thielen wasn't necessarily performance-based. Instead, it was a move the Vikings were essentially forced to make due to being over the salary cap.
Minnesota will save $6.4 million in cap space while taking on a $13.55 million dead cap hit with this move.
Thielen's salary would've been fully guaranteed after March 16 so that's why the Vikings made this move now.
The former undrafted wide receiver is expected to have a "strong market" in free agency. That's why he wasn't willing to restructure his contract for the second straight offseason (he was also expected to have a "diminished role" if he returned in 2023).
Thielen, for the first time in his career, won't be wearing a Vikings uniform the next time he hits the field. For anyone who says the salary cap isn't real, just look at the Vikings' tough decision on Friday as a reminder that the cap can have a real impact on offseason decisions.
