Vikings' Adam Thielen is getting to know a 'more player-friendly' offense

The Vikings were only two days into learning coach Kevin O'Connell's new offense when receiver Adam Thielen said the routes are "more player-friendly" and that Kirk Cousins will have more freedom to change plays at the line of scrimmage.

"There's a lot more feel to [the offense] rather than, 'You gotta do this at this point, at this time,'" Thielen said Tuesday during a break in the team's offseason program. "Not to say there's a wrong way to do it, it's just different [than last season]. Excited about that. … It's definitely an offense that kind of just lets their players do what they do well and go out and beat the defense they're giving us."

Thielen was asked how he thinks Cousins will fit into an offense that's based more on feel and includes more post-snap adjustments that require him and his targets to make the same reads on the fly.

"I don't want to talk too much about that because at the end of the day, I'm a wide receiver," Thielen said. "But I will say this: Kirk feels super comfortable with this coaching staff, with this offense."

Cousins talked last season about not having much freedom to change plays at the line of scrimmage. Apparently, that will change under O'Connell, according to Thielen.

"I think there is going to be a little more of, a couple different reads depending on the coverage and then maybe more flexibility for Kirk to make different calls at the line of scrimmage depending on what coverage we're getting," Thielen said. "I think there's a little bit more freedom in his hands to get us in the best position to have success, and that's what you have to do on offense. You have to try to find an advantage somehow."

The guy teammates have been calling "No. 4" for years finally has the jersey number to match.

"I tried to [switch] last year, but [the NFL] tried to take money from me," said running back Dalvin Cook, who ditched No. 33 for the number he wore in college and high school.

The NFL relaxed its jersey number rules last year, but to switch then would have cost Cook $1.5 million — the cost of buying out the unsold number of No. 33 jerseys with Cook's name on them.

Cook said he promised his father, James, who died in December 2020, that he was "going to get back in my number and get back to getting [the Vikings] to the Super Bowl."

Step 1 has been accomplished.

"That number means a lot to me," Cook said. "I started playing football because of my bigger brother [DeAndre Burnett]. He wore No. 4, and he was like a hero in my eyes when I seen him play football.

"Mentally, I'm better in that number. Overall I think it's a better thing for my family and for everybody around here. They're going to see a version that you've never seen before. You're going to see something special."

Justin Jefferson couldn't lie. He's "for sure" excited about how the financial market for elite receivers has exploded this offseason.

"Excited for them and excited for what I have in store," said Jefferson, who's entering Year 3 of his four-year, team-friendly rookie deal.

The Raiders gave Davante Adams a five-year, $141.3 million deal with $67.5 million guaranteed. The Dolphins gave Tyreek Hill $120 million over four years with $72.2 million guaranteed. And the Bills gave Stefon Diggs a four-year, $104 million extension with $70 million guaranteed.

"Just knowing some of the players that got signed again, I just know that I can have some more great years here with this team," Jefferson said. "So definitely been looking into that and been keeping sight on that. … You just got to do your own thing and follow your own path, follow your own process when it comes to contracts."