Report: Carlson, Vikings restructure contract

Published Mar. 12, 2013 12:45 p.m. ET

foxsports

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Signing tight end John Carlson was considered the Minnesota Vikings' biggest move in free agency last year. Hours before free agency this year, Carlson was left to restructure his original five-year, $25 million contract.
Carlson, 28, redid his contract Tuesday, according to a report from ESPN1500.com, giving Minnesota more salary cap relief and perhaps saving his spot on the Vikings' roster. Sources told ESPN1500.com that Carlson will still earn his $1.2 million in guaranteed money, which was set to be guaranteed if Carlson was on the team's roster at 3 p.m. Tuesday, when the new league year begins.
The report says Carlson was set to count $4 million against the cap in the upcoming season but does not have the new terms of the restructured deal.
Carlson was signed away from the Seattle Seahawks last year in the only move Minnesota made in the opening week of free agency. The Vikings hoped to pair Carlson with Kyle Rudolph to give the team two pass-catching weapons at tight end. Rudolph, in his second season, followed through with 53 catches for 493 yards and nine touchdowns and made the NFC Pro Bowl squad as a replacement.
Carlson, though, dealt with a knee injury in training camp and missed the preseason. From there, he was behind the entire season. He was held without a catch the first three games, missed two games in the middle of the season with a concussion and ended up with just eight catches for 43 yards.

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