Panthers need to keep Adam Thielen in the building no matter what

Adam Thielen may decide to quit football after the 2025 season - but the Panthers should be trying to keep him in the fold.

Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) and running back Mike Boone (34) celebrate Thielen scoring a touchdown catch against the Arizona Cardinals during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

If the last seven years has taught us anything, it should be that the Carolina Panthers need all the Adam Thielen that they can get. Not only is Thielen the best pass-catcher on the roster by a significant distance, he's exactly the kind of player that you want to build a winning culture around.

The respect that Thielen commands from his teammates is easy to see on display anytime that they talk about him. Just observe what incoming inside linebacker Christian Rozebooom had to say about Thielen yesterday at a team charity function.

#Panthers LB Christian Rozeboom was in west Charlotte building houses as part of the org’s Keep Pounding Day.

As an undrafted player himself, Rozeboom has admired Adam Thielen for a while. His advice for UDFAs: Do the football well; treat everyone in the building well, too. pic.twitter.com/iKxqYcC1lT

— Alex Zietlow (@alexzietlow05) May 2, 2025

We know that Thielen will be at the top of the wide receiver rotation when the 2025 season gets underway in September. How the depth chart develops from there will depend a great deal on how the younger receivers on the roster develop - especially top-10 pick Tetairoa McMillan, 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette and undrafted standout Jalen Coker.

In an ideal world, one of those guys (likely McMillan) will grow into Bryce Young's favorite target, establishing himself as the WR1 going forward no matter what happens with Thielen. If Thielen does decide to retire after this coming season, the Panthers should try to keep him in the building - if not as a valuable veteran role player then in some kind of coaching capacity.

Precious few players really WANT to be in Carolina these days - and Thielen is one of them. That other players have begun taking their cues from him is a good sign that the culture they want is growing.

- Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI - 

Carolina Panthers in familiar territory in post 2025 NFL draft power rankings

Analytics point to the Panthers’ 2025 draft class as one of the NFL’s best

Panthers may have landed NFL draft's biggest steal no one is talking about

Carolina Panthers had offers from at least 2 teams to trade up in Round 1