Vikings’ Adam Thielen Makes Strong Statement on Taking Pay Cut

Getty Adam Thielen revealed his representatives are in contract talks with the Vikings.

Minnesota Vikings veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen confirmed he’s at the negotiating table for a third consecutive offseason and notably admitted that his cap hit for the 2023 season cannot carry over onto next season’s book.

“We’re working through some stuff because I got a big cap hit,” Thielen said on The Pat McAfee Show on February 9, adding that his representatives are in the middle of contract talks with the Vikings.

“They’re going to try to do something, so we’ll see,” Thielen added.

The past month has been dicey for Thielen, who carries a $19.9 million cap hit that ranks 14th among wide receivers while his production slid outside the top 50 wide receivers in the league last season.

Thielen has advocated that he wants to remain a central part of his team’s offense wherever he may land next season. He opened up about the idea of moving on in front of a national audience in Phoenix during Super Bowl weekend.

But despite entertaining his departure, Thielen gave the Vikings a gesture in good faith that he wants to retire in purple and gold.

“I want to be able to help a team and show them that I can play at a high level to help them win football games,” he told ESPN on February 9. “Will that be in Minnesota? I don’t know. I hope so. I hope to retire a Minnesota Viking. I grew up a Vikings fan watching Cris Carter and Randy Moss, and I want to retire a Viking. Will that happen? I don’t know. This is also a business.”

The Vikings are currently $23.4 million over the salary cap and need to reload their defense and sign their next draft class this offseason.

Vikings Phased Out Adam Thielen From Offense During Final Stretch of the 2022 Season

Last season, Thielen tallied 70 receptions on 107 targets for 716 receiving yards — all ranking second on the team behind only Justin Jefferson. However, his role in the final five games of the season took a drastic turn with the arrival of tight end T.J. Hockenson and K.J. Osborn taking a leap forward.

After averaging seven targets per game through the first 13 games of the season, Adam saw just 20 targets in the Vikings’ final five games, per Pro Football Reference. He caught three or fewer passes in that span, averaging 24.2 yards per game.

The writing may be on the wall that Minnesota is looking to incorporate younger playmakers more into the offense, which has left Thielen, turning 33 in August, campaigning that he is still worth his salt on the field and on the cap sheet.

Over The Cap valued Thielen’s performance from 2022 to be worth a cap hit of $12.5 million. If the Vikings reworked Thielen’s contract to lower his cap number to that valuation, he would be the 28th highest-paid player at his position going into next season.

Adam Thielen Has Kyle Rudolph to Learn From Amid Contract Talks With Vikings

Thielen has followed a similar script that longtime Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph used during the 2021 offseason that led to his release.

Rudolph, who was also relegated to a lesser role on the offense with the emergence of Irv Smith Jr., went on the  Unrestricted with Ben Leber podcast and, like Thielen, touted he’s in the best shape of his life and still has plenty of his prime years ahead.

However, Rudolph also put his foot in the ground, saying he’s worth “every dime of his contract.” Rudolph’s camp and Minnesota couldn’t come to an agreement, leading to his release. It’s been tough sledding ever since for Rudolph.

He signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the New York Giants and played all 16 games in the 2021 season — posting the lowest yards per game (16.1) of his career. Rudolph was released the next offseason and signed for $2 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playing just nine games and 79 snaps. Rudolph made an extra $9 million the past two seasons since he left Minnesota, however, he didn’t find a larger elsewhere.

Thielen has a much larger role with the Vikings. And although that role may diminish in the coming years, he’s still one of the league’s best route-runners and a reliable weapon in short-yardage situations. The volume may diminish but he could still hold his value in vital situations.

Watching Rudolph’s career atrophy over the past two seasons is a reminder the grass is not always greener.