Adam Thielen, Vikings Reportedly Revise Contract to Help Salary Cap After Trade

Three days after being traded to the Minnesota Vikings, Adam Thielen has helped out his new team by revising his contract for the 2025 season.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Thielen agreed to a revised deal that reduces his salary by $2 million and removes $4 million in incentives to make things easier for the Vikings' salary cap.

Minnesota currently has $16.7 million in cap space available.

Faced with a lack of depth at wide receiver going into the start of the regular season, the Vikings acquired Thielen from the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday.

This marks the second time Thielen has adjusted his deal in 2025. He agreed to a revised contract with the Panthers in March that gave him a slight pay raise.

Thielen was set to earn $6.25 million in base salary this season prior to revising his contract. It wasn't a secret that he wanted to return to the organization that he spent the first nine years of his career with.

When there were rumors about Thielen being traded to Minnesota, his wife, Caitlin, was posting vague messages on social media. Caitlin Thielen was born in Appleton, Minnesota.

The move was also borne out of necessity for the Vikings.

Minnesota will be without Jordan Addison for the first three games of the season due to a suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Jalen Nailor is currently operating on a "week to week" timeline due to a hand injury, per head coach Kevin O'Connell.

Justin Jefferson missed a large portion of training camp due to a hamstring injury suffered in late-July, but he has returned to practice last week and all indications are he will be fine for Week 1.

Despite being acquired just over one week before the start of the regular season, Thielen shouldn't need a long acclimation period with the Vikings offense. He played with the team during O'Connell's first season as head coach in 2022.

Thielen recorded 6,682 receiving yards and made the Pro Bowl twice during his original stint with the Vikings from 2014 to '22. He had 1,629 yards and nine touchdowns in 27 games with the Panthers over the past two seasons.

The Vikings will open the regular season against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 8 at Soldier Field.