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ESPN identifies Panthers top wide receiver as trade candidate

The Carolina Panthers could be making a wide receiver trade before the start of the season.
Jeremy Brener|
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen goes in motion against the Cleveland Browns.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen goes in motion against the Cleveland Browns. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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The Carolina Panthers could be making a trade ahead of the final roster cutdown deadline, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter.

"Vikings have inquired about trading for Panthers WR Adam Thielen, per league sources," Schefter tweeted. "With WR Jordan Addison serving a three-game suspension and Jalen Nailor dealing with a hand injury, Thielen could wind up starting opening night for the Vikings if they can complete the trade."

Thielen, 35, has been with the Panthers for the past two seasons, but he spent his first decade in the NFL with the Vikings after signing as an undrafted free agent following the 2013 NFL Draft.

Now, he could look to reunite with his former team after running into some help at the wide receiver spot.

The Panthers have a deep wide receiver corps and there's a possibility Thielen is part of a seven-wideout position group when the final roster is complete.

“Obviously, you know wideout is a deep position for us. So we got to figure out there how many numbers we’re going to keep there," Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said in an interview during the team's preseason game against the Steelers.

“You usually keep around six guys, sometimes five guys. We have a lot of guys that we like, so there is the potential that we keep seven."

The seven players the Panthers should be interested in keeping are Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, David Moore, Hunter Renfrow, Jimmy Horn Jr. and Thielen. By trading Thielen to the Vikings, it would open up a roster spot that could be used on a receiver or anywhere else on the roster.

Thielen had 48 receptions for 615 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games for the Panthers in 2024, so cutting him would take away a potential top target for Bryce Young. However, with McMillan arriving as a first-round pick with Coker coming into his own, the Panthers could decide to move on from Thielen if they can get a decent return package.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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