Defensive end Stephen Weatherly returned to the Vikings as a free agent this offseason, but his second tour with the team could have come to an early end.
Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reports that the Vikings told Weatherly he would need to take a pay cut in order to remain with the team after D.J. Wonnum won a starting job over him this summer. Weatherly accepted the cut and dropped his salary from $2.5 million to $2 million for the coming season.
Weatherly is a vested veteran, so that salary will be guaranteed for the year by being on the roster for Week One. He would have received $50,000 if he was cut.
Darren Wolfson of KSTP adds that Weatherly has incentives tied to sacks in the revised deal. Every two sacks would net Weatherly, who has six career sacks, $250,000.