5 Vikings players who could be cap casualties in 2022
By Adam Carlson
Adam Thielen – WR
- 2022 cap hit: $16,945,000
- 2022 dead cap: $11,100,000
- Potential savings: $5.85M
The one hurts to even talk about it. The thought of the Vikings cutting Adam Thielen considering he has caught double-digit touchdowns in the last two seasons is one thing, but ruining the story of his rise to fame would be crushing as well.
Combining the huge yardage of Justin Jefferson with Thielen’s work in the red zone is a thing of beauty and unless the team is comfortable moving forward with K.J. Osborn or a new draft pick stepping in as a starter, this would be a confusing move.
Still, any opportunity to save money has to be explored. Minnesota has some young pieces in place on offense with Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, Brian O’Neill, and possibly Christian Darrisaw with a question mark still surrounding Irv Smith Jr. and could look to keep that youth revolution going under a new coaching staff.
Minnesota currently has Thielen locked down through the 2024 NFL season when he will be 34-years-old. Fans should probably expect the veteran receiver to stick around through that contract since replacing him for under $6 million per season doesn’t seem like an easy task.
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Which players should the Vikings move on from during the offseason in order to clear some room on the salary cap? And which players should stay put and get paid? Let’s hear your opinion in the comments.