Adam Thielen had to give up millions to return home.
The native of Minnesota, who starred in college at Minnesota State, was traded back to the Vikings this week from the Carolina Panthers. The deal couldn’t get done without some financial concessions.
This is how NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero described the situation on X:
“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.”
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ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the deal Wednesday morning, with these terms:
- Vikings get: WR Adam Thielen, conditional 2026 7th-round pick, 2027 5th-round pick
- Panthers get: 2026 5th-round pick, 2027 4th-round pick
Minnesota will be without Jordan Addison to start the season due to suspension, and WR3 Jalen Nailor is injured and could also miss Week 1.
Superstar wideout Justin Jefferson has sat out the preseason with a hamstring injury but is supposed to be good to suit up for the opener.
Thielen joined the Vikings as an undrafted player, and in his third season, he broke out into a star.
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The polished route runner ended up spending the first nine seasons of his NFL career with Minnesota, catching 534 passes for 6,682 yards and 55 touchdowns.
He went to the Panthers ahead of the 2023 season, and in two campaigns in Carolina has 151 catches for 1,629 yards and nine touchdowns.
And now he’s back, with a slightly reduced contract, to try and win more games with the Vikings.
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