Vikings receiver Adam Thielen makes much less than Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs. And both Thielen and the Vikings seem to be committed to closing that gap.
Agent Blake Baratz, appearing on SKOR North in Minnesota, expressed optimism that an adjusted deal will be negotiated for Thielen, who has become one of the best receivers in the NFL. Baratz believes it will happen without Thielen holding out.
“Adam’s not that type of person,” Baratz said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. “I would never condone a player to hold out or be disruptive if it wasn’t for a very valid reason, and [what’s not] a valid reason, to me, is both sides working in good faith to come to a conclusion that makes sense for everybody.”
Baratz added that Adam wants to remain in Minnesota, and that the Vikings want to financially reward Thielen, a local success story who came from virtually nowhere to become a star player.
“No one’s being greedy,” Baratz said. “Everyone understands the situation and it’s really in their court. He has a couple of years left on his deal but he’s earned a significant pay raise.”
Thielen enters the third season of a four-year, $19.246 million base deal. Diggs has a five-year, $72 million contract.
The Vikings have been paying big contracts to their nucleus of key players (with the exception of linebacker Anthony Barr). With quarterback Kirk Cousins making $28 million per year on a three-year deal, however, only so much money will remain for other players and positions. In a pass-happy league, however, it makes sense for teams to find multiple great receivers, and to compensate them accordingly.
