Reports: Vikings May End Up Releasing Adam Thielen Soon
It's sounding more and more like Adam Thielen's legendary run with the Vikings could be coming to an end soon.
Thielen, who turns 33 later this year, has a cap hit of nearly $20 million for the 2023 season, meaning something was always going to have to happen with his contract this spring. The Vikings and Thielen's camp have been discussing the possibility of a restructured deal that would presumably involve a pay cut, but reports on Thursday indicate that this could be headed towards Thielen being released in the coming days.
"There’s a real possibility that the Vikings and Adam Thielen will part ways in the coming days, allowing the two-time Pro-Bowl WR to become a free agent, per sources," ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted. "The two sides will talk in coming days, but his time in Minnesota could be coming to an end." The Star Tribune's Ben Goessling echoed the same sentiment.
At this point, it sounds like it would be a surprise if something got worked out between Thielen and the Vikings. There have been reports that he wanted a bigger role in Minnesota's offense last season, which he'd be unlikely to get this year as the No. 3 option — at best — behind Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson. Thielen still believes he has a lot of gas left in the tank, which may mean he has no interest in taking a pay cut to stay in his home state.
"I feel great," Thielen said on ESPN's First Take last month. "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. Will that be in Minnesota? I don’t know. I hope so. I hope to retire a Minnesota Viking. This is also a business. I also, again, want my opportunity to show that I can play at a high level, so we’ll see what happens."
Parting ways could ultimately make sense for both sides. It would give the Vikings some cap relief and allow them to get younger and faster at their WR2 spot, and it would allow Thielen to test the market for the first time and pick a new home where he thinks he could be a big part of the offense.
The Vikings would likely designate Thielen's release as post-June 1, which would create $13.4 million in cap space with $6.5 million in dead money. If they didn't do that, a standard release would flip those two numbers around, which would be a lot of dead cap.
Thielen's spot in the Vikings' Ring of Honor is more than secure. He's one of the franchise's top five receivers, in addition to being an all-time great local product and underdog story. The Detroit Lakes, MN, native and Minnesota State alum landed with the Vikings as an undrafted rookie tryout player in 2013. He earned his way onto the roster, started out on special teams, and eventually made two Pro Bowls at wide receiver in 2017 and '18.
Thielen has played in 135 games with the Vikings, starting 101. He has 534 receptions (third in franchise history) for 6,682 yards (fourth) and 55 receiving touchdowns (third).
It would be extremely weird to see Thielen in a different jersey in 2023, but it sounds like that's becoming more and more likely. Expect a resolution to this situation shortly.
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