Overview

• Minnesota remains in dialogue with Carolina about reacquiring Adam Thielen, and the receiver is described as excited about a return, per Star Tribune reporting cited by Newsweek.
• The sticking point is his $6.25 million base salary and a previously paid $1.5 million roster bonus, with the salary set to guarantee if he is on the roster in Week 1, per ESPN analysis.
• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell sketched a compromise in which Carolina eats $1.5 million, Thielen accepts a $1 million pay cut in exchange for guarantees, and the Vikings absorb the remainder.
• Potential compensation discussed includes using picks acquired in the Harrison Phillips trade with the Jets, with estimates ranging from two late-round selections to a fifth-round starting point.
• The Vikings’ pursuit is driven by receiver shortages because of injuries and Jordan Addison’s three-game suspension as they seek to support rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy.