The Adam Thielen Deal Just Got Even Better
The Minnesota Vikings, not the Green Bay Packers, certainly made the biggest trade in the NFC North this week when franchise legend Adam Thielen was acquired from the Carolina Panthers to bolster the depleted wide receiver group.
The Adam Thielen Deal Just Got Even Better
A couple of picks went Carolina’s way, and the Vikings received Thielen and two picks, ultimately costing them the value of a fourth- or fifth-round pick, depending on who you ask, in addition to Thielen’s contract.
It turns out that the latter element can be ignored to some extent.
Tom Pelissero reported Saturday morning, “The #Vikings and WR Adam Thielen have agreed to terms on a revised contract, reducing his salary by $2 million and removing $4M in incentives, per sources. This wasn’t about money — Thielen wanted to come home, and volunteered to help the team’s salary cap to make it happen.”
When he arrived in the Twin Cities, Thielen was due to have a cap hit of approximately $7 million. Considering Thielen’s worth, especially early in the season when Jordan Addison is sidelined, that’s not an unreasonable financial burden by any means.
The new conditions, however, make the deal even sweeter. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can spend the money on this year’s roster or use it to help next year’s cap.
Thielen said the day after the trade, “Didn’t know this was gonna happen until yesterday morning, so yesterday was an absolute whirlwind. But obviously you guys know, without me saying it, how much this place means to me. This state, this city, this organization, the Wilfs, coaches, players. Couldn’t be more excited. There’s nothing I could say to tell you how excited I am to be back home.”
The receiver ranks third in franchise history in receiving touchdowns and fifth in receiving yards. As a tryout player, he took the league (and the state) by storm and evolved into one of the premier receivers in the league, with outstanding prime seasons in 2017 and 2018.
After the 2022 season, the Vikings said “goodbye” to the hometown hero, as his play on the field no longer matched the payment. It’s undoubtedly the cruel part of the business. Thielen moved on and signed with the Panthers. After two rebuilding years, he returns to a football team that might be the best he’s been on, depending on J.J. McCarthy’s development.
In his two campaigns in the NFC East, Thielen helped Bryce Young grow, and he’ll have a similar mentor role in the Twin Cities.
Thielen added in his first opportunity to talk to the local media, “I just didn’t think that this was even a possibility. I thought the next time I would be talking to you guys is when I was signing a one-day contract and retiring. This is pretty surreal. I’m gonna take advantage of every second that I’m back in this building, and I’ve tried to do that from a little bit of a different perspective.”
Another notable aspect is that Thielen has already had the chance to get to know McCarthy through their throwing sessions over the last couple of offseasons. The first time they can connect in a game will be on September 8th, when the squad travels to Chicago to take on the Bears on national television.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.