Four days after hosting the free-agent wideout on an official visit, the Carolina Panthers are set to sign Adam Thielen. The team announced an agreement on Sunday night.
Carolina has been an active participant in the wide receiver market since trading DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears in a package that landed them the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. Given that Moore was on the field for 96 percent of the team’s offensive snaps last season, the Panthers are unlikely to fill his shoes with just one free-agent signing.
However, they evidently believed Thielen is a start.
The 32-year-old veteran spent the last nine seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Thielen never played in fewer than 10 games in a season, and he drew over 100 targets in four of his campaigns for Minnesota.
Last season, the two-time Pro Bowler started all 17 games for the Vikings—catching 70 passes for 716 yards and six touchdowns. Although he will undoubtedly be expected to handle a sizable target share on the field, it’s likely that the veteran’s role in Carolina will also extend to mentorship of younger players.
Former NFL punter (and maybe insider) Pat McAfee was first with the news that the pact between Thielen and the Panthers will run for three years.
