ESPN trade proposal nets Panthers 2 picks from Vikings for Adam Thielen

The Carolina Panthers are currently engaged in trade talks with the Minnesota Vikings over star wide receiver Adam Thielen. Before signing with Carolina in 2023, Thielen spent his entire NFL career with the Vikings, but he landed with the Panthers and has proved since that he certainly still has some left in the tank.

The veteran wide receiver would be a perfect fit for Minnesota, which has lost several wide receivers to suspension or injury already and is facing a decimated WR room right now. Fittingly, ESPN's Bill Barnwell has a mock trade to get this deal done, but it's not one Panthers fans or the front office will like seeing.

ESPN proposes lackluster trade sending Adam Thielen away

Bill Barnwell proposed the Panthers send Adam Thielen to the Vikings for a 2026 sixth- and 2026 seventh-round pick. He said a reunion here feels "too easy" to predict given Minnesota's need and Carolina's surplus.

The problem seems to be around Thielen's salary. Carolina gave him a $1.5 million raise, indicating that he's not going to be cut, which would be Minnesota's preference. They don't want to overpay to take on a decent chunk in salary and for what could be a one-year deal.

"All sides involved probably would need to give a bit to make a mutually advantageous deal work. The Panthers would eat $1.5 million of Thielen's contract, getting two of the three picks the Vikings got from the Jets in the Harrison Phillips trade in return," Barnwell concluded.

He also said that Thielen would take a $1 million pay cut and get the remaining $3.8 million on his deal guaranteed. The Vikings did what they needed to do with other trades to clear room for this exact sort of trade to take place.

Who says no? In this case, I think the Panthers hang up the phone laughing. They're under no obligation to hand their current WR1 back to the Vikings for such a middling return. Two day-three picks, especially in the last two rounds, just isn't enough for them since they're not the ones instigating a deal.

Sure, they'd benefit from getting something from a player who's either gone to retirement or free agency this March, but they don't need to part with someone who they will need this season for Bryce Young's continued development for such a weak return. The Panthers have the leverage, so it would be stunning if they agreed to this sort of trade.

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