Adam Thielen has been one of the Carolina Panthers most reliable players over the past two seasons, but that may not save him from a trade. Now entering his age-35 season, Thielen is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning and could be the odd-man out in a promising young wide receiver room.
While Carolina’s current group of wide receivers isn’t the most established, multiple players have a reasonably high ceiling. Rookie Tetairoa McMillan was a top-10 pick for a reason, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker showed promise as rookies, and rookie Jimmy Horn has impressed throughout the offseason. If all four players produce throughout the offseason, Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus believes the Panthers could trade Adam Thielen to the highest bidder.
“With eighth-overall pick Tatairoa McMillan entering the fold, head coach Dave Canales effectively has two starting spots for three players: Thielen, Jalen Coker, and Xavier Legette,” Locker writes. “Thielen is the oldest and on an expiring contract, which would figure to make him the most expendable.”
PFF: Panthers Could Trade Adam Thielen In Training Camp
Possible Trade Fits
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers had a weak wide receiver room before Mike Williams called it a career. Now that he’s gone, this team desperately needs another set of hands for quarterback Justin Herbert. Ladd McConkey is the real deal, but this team currently has too much riding on the underwhelming Quentin Johnston and the untested Tre Harris. An Adam Thielen trade makes all the sense in the world for the Chargers, as they are one competent receiver away from a deep playoff run and threatening the Kansas City Chiefs for divisional supremacy.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spent the offseason trying to build a team capable of getting beyond the first round of the playoffs. While Aaron Rodgers, D.K. Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, and an extended T.J. Watt will create a better roster, this team needs another wide receiver. The present-day version of Aaron Rodgers can’t carry an offense all by himself, and an Adam Thielen trade would give this all-in squad a much-needed complementary set of hands.
Kansas City Chiefs
Rashee Rice will likely face a suspension in 2025, which means the Chiefs could use another veteran receiver. The Chiefs play in a wildly competitive division and, while they will still be a good team, they probably won’t go 12-0 in one-score games for the second straight season. Kansas City needs someone to take over while Rice is gone, and even when he’s back, Adam Thielen can be a safe veteran to raise the overall floor of this high-risk, high-reward receiving room.
New York Jets
The New York Jets extended Garrett Wilson, but they still need to find a competent WR2. First-year head coach Aaron Glenn wants to build an immediate contender, and an Adam Thielen trade can help give Justin Fields the weapons he needs to finally reach his ceiling.
Main Photo: Scott Kinser – Imagn Images
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