Carolina Panthers better off keeping Adam Thielen than trading him

For a minute there it looked like the Carolina Panthers were about to trade their best wide receiver to the Minnesota Vikings. That's where Adam Thielen played the first nine years of his NFL career after going undrafted, including two Pro Bowl campaigns. The Vikings need help at wide receiver, and Thielen would have given them a huge boost going into the 2025 season.

However, the trade talks hit a snag and now the reporting suggests a deal is unlikely to go down. Rumor has it that the Panthers were asking for a third-round draft pick for Thielen, which was an obvious no-go for the Vikings.

The Panthers had to know they were not actually going to get a Day 2 pick for a 35-year old wide receiver, no matter how great he might still be at this late point in his career. This is a good thing, because it shows that they know Thielen is more valuable to them on the field than any hypothetical draft pick - at least for the time being.

Not everyone agrees, though. Here's Jared Dubin at CBS Sports making the case that Bryce Young and the Panthers are deep enough at wider receiver to let Thielen go.

CBS Sports on Adam Thielen

"Given that Young has looked Thielen's way so much more often than anyone else's, it's worth asking whether the Panthers would still be putting him in position for success if they were to deal him away. And while it remains to be seen whether Young will actually carry over some of the success he had over the second half of last season, I think the answer this time around would be yes."

Dec 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) celebrates with tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) and wide receiver Xavier Legette (17) after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Dubin cites the addition of rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who's projected to become Young's number one target this season. He also mentions the ready-made replacement for Thielen in the slot that is undrafted wunderkind Jalen Coker.

"It helps that Carolina likely also has a ready-made replacement in the slot. When Thielen missed time due to injuries last season, undrafted free agent Jalen Coker stepped into the lineup and fared well for himself. He caught 17 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown across Weeks 5 through 10, then hauled in 15 more for 215 yards and a touchdown in the final four games of the season..."

While McMillan and Xavier Legette will draw more attention, Coker is the real key to the inevitable exit for Thielen, who contemplates retirement at the end of every NFL season.

If the Panthers have one truly untapped resource on their roster right now it's the connection between Coker and Young, which features better chemistry than any other QB-WR combo that does not include Thielen.

If head coach Dave Canales is willing to give Coker an outsized role for a college free agent and ignore the fact that McMillan and Legette were first-round draft picks, the Panthers' offense could take off in ways that wouldn't be possible if they force-feed the guys with guaranteed money on their contracts.

For now, we feel the Panthers are better off keeping Thielen - assuming the third-round pick isn't happening. They can re-evaluate heading into the trade deadline. If the rest of the wide receiver room has taken a step forward and they're not in position to win the division, it might be worth dealing Thielen for a fourth-rounder. Until then, he should remain at the top of the depth chart.

To be continued...

Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) makes a catch against Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean (33) during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

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