Vikings Redo Adam Thielen’s Deal for Salary Cap Relief

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen has restructured his contract to give the team salary cap relief, his agency announced on Friday, with a new deal that gives him $18 million guaranteed.

In a video posted on Twitter by the Institute for Athletes, his Minneapolis-based agency, Thielen said, “I guess you can’t get rid of me yet. I’m super excited to be back in purple to ultimately try to bring a championship to this city that so much deserves it. So excited about the leadership and everything that’s being put in place in this organization.”

Thielen’s previous contract was carrying a cap hit for 2022 of more than $16.8 million that the Vikings can now reduce by lowering his base salary and spreading out his new signing bonus money.

After giving quarterback Kirk Cousins a one-year contract extension, bringing back Thielen for at least another season made sense. The 31-year-old two-time Pro Bowl pick missed four games with an ankle injury in 2021 and had 726 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Vikings also restructured safety Harrison Smith’s contract this week for cap relief.