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NFL insider believes Panthers did well in Adam Thielen trade

A two-time Pro Bowler is returning to the team he began his NFL career with. The Panthers will miss WR Adam Thielen, but may have made out well in dealing him.
Russell Baxter|
Jul 26, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) makes a catch during training camp. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Jul 26, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) makes a catch during training camp. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

In nine seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, former undrafted wide receiver Adam Thiel totaled 534 receptions for 6,682 yards and 55 touchdowns. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Randy Moss have more catches in franchise history. Those receiving yards are fifth in team annals, and the aforementioned touchdown grabs are third in Vikings’ history.

In 2023, Thielen was cut loose by the organization and he latched on with the Carolina Panthers. In his first season with the club, the two-time Pro Bowler caught 103 passes for 1,014 yards and four scores. This past season with Dave Canales’s club, he wound up missing seven games. However, he was part of quarterback Bryce Young’s second-half resurgence in 2024. His 48 receptions were second on the team, but he led Carolina with 615 receiving yards and five touchdown grabs.

Now Thielen is headed back to Minnesota in a deal that could work out very well for both teams.

Panthers’ GM Dan Morgan got great value in trading WR Adam Thielen

There’s no doubt that Carolina was looking to get younger and more explosive at the wide receiver position. Dan Morgan drafted Tetairoa McMillan (1-Arizona) and Jimmy Horn Jr. (6-Colorado) in April. In 2024, the team used a first-round pick on wideout Xavier Legette and found a real gem in undrafted Jalen Coker. The wide receiver room now houses seven players if you include David Moore, Brycen Tremayne, and recent newcomer Dalevon Campbell.

Meanwhile, Morgan was able to improve on the team’s draft position for both 2026 and 2027—moving up in both rounds. It’s safe to say youth in being served in Carolina, and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out in 2025 and beyond.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.