The Carolina Panthers and wide receiver Adam Thielen have agreed to a three-year deal, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:
- The Vikings released Thielen on March 10 after nine seasons with the franchise.
- The two-time Pro Bowler ranked third in Vikings history in receptions (534) and receiving touchdowns (55) after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State in 2013.
- Last season, Thielen had 70 catches across 17 games. He tallied 6,682 receiving yards for Minnesota, the fourth-most in team history.
So good 🙌 pic.twitter.com/UKw1jUMapJ
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) March 19, 2023
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What are the Panthers getting in Thielen?
A decorated wideout who is motivated to prove he can be a focal point of an offense. Thielen, 32, caught 70 passes in 2022 but consistently felt as if he could provide more. The Vikings, though, centered their offense around Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson, especially after the Hockenson addition.
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Thielen also operated through multiple injuries in 2022, some of which went unreported. A bruised knee hampered him in multiple games and may have affected his agility in and out of breaks. The Minnesota State product who attended college on a $500 scholarship is going to be playing out of his home state for the first time in his NFL career. And he will be playing with urgency to prove that he has not passed his 2017 and 2018 Pro Bowl ability. — Lewis
GO DEEPER
Adam Thielen will provide Panthers experience, red zone and third-down target
What will he bring to Carolina?
Much like Andy Dalton in the quarterback room and Hayden Hurst in the tight end room, Thielen will bring experience and leadership to the Panthers’ young group of receivers. And though he might not stretch the field like he used to, Thielen — with his reliable hands and precise route running — also will be a huge boost to Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis or Anthony Richardson. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Thielen can make catches in traffic, convert third downs and show young wideouts such as Terrace Marshall Jr. and Shi Smith how to be a professional. — Person
Required reading
- Panthers make a bold move for the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft — they better be right
- Panthers free-agent targets: 24 candidates to consider, from WRs to bridge QBs
- NFL mock draft: After Panthers trade for No. 1, 4 quarterbacks go in top 4 picks
(Photo: Catherine Ivill / Getty Images)