Panthers announce agreement with Adam Thielen

Posted by Charean Williams on March 19, 2023, 7:39 PM EDT
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Free agent receiver Adam Thielen has found a new home.

Nine days after the Vikings released him, Thielen has agreed to terms with the Panthers. He announced the deal on Instagram just before the team did. Thielen visited Carolina last week.

The Panthers needed to rebuild their receiving corps after trading DJ Moore to the Bears as part of the deal for the No. 1 overall pick, which will deliver a franchise quarterback. Carolina now has seven receivers on their roster, including Terrace Marshall, Jr., Laviska Shenault, and Shi Smith.

The team also has interest in signing free agent receiver D.J. Chark.

In 2022, Thielen caught 70 passes for 716 yards and six touchdowns.

The two-time Pro Bowler has 6,682 yards and 55 touchdowns in his career.

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57 responses to “Panthers announce agreement with Adam Thielen”

  3. New Panthers -Red Rifle Andy Dalton to White Claw Adam Thielen. Good times////

  4. Wanted to play for a contender, eh?
    ——————
    Merely showing up for all 17 games makes any team a contender in the NFCS.

  5. His stats suffered in Minnesota with Cousins always looking for Jefferson.
    He will do fine in Carolina…

  6. As a panthers fan really excited about this signing just not sure who he is gonna catch passes from

  8. The Panthers? Really? I wish him the best, but after making more than $60M off the Vikings, at this point of his career I really thought his free agency decision-making would have placed playoff success with a team like the Chiefs over either money or being the #1 receiving option.

  9. Panthers doing work in a bad division. If they can shore up a defense, they could be a surprise team a la lions (except in the playoffs)

  11. Caitlin Thielen said they were moving onto “better things.” The 2023 Vikings may not be Super Bowl contenders, but the Panthers are a hot mess.

  12. The NFC south doesn’t have a defensive doormats like the packers horrific secondary. Might be a bit more difficult this year.

  13. Good signing by the Panthers, for the Vikings, they now have arguably the worst D in the NFC and will be fighting the Packers for the basement of the NFC North

  15. Good for you, Adam. You deserve better than Minnesota. Well, quite honestly, everyone deserves better than Minnesota. I wonder if Canada would take it?

  16. Rumors are they want Chark as well. Good route-runners – points to CJ Stroud?

  17. stack44 says:
    March 19, 2023 at 7:53 pm
    His stats suffered in Minnesota with Cousins always looking for Jefferson
    /////
    Well….since JJ is the best receiver in the league, literally anybody else would be getting WR2 targets all season. Your comment is nonsense.

  18. ohokgotit says:
    March 19, 2023 at 8:17 pm
    Good for you, Adam. You deserve better than Minnesota
    /////
    Without the Vikings, nobody outside of Mankato ever knows who Thielen is. We loved him. He deserved everything he got. But he also deserved to be cut at $20 mil a season. We wish him luck.

  19. Good security blanket at this age and veteran presence in the locker room for a young rookie QB

  20. whoatherebuddy says:
    March 19, 2023 at 8:03 pm
    Good signing by the Panthers, for the Vikings, they now have arguably the worst D in the NFC
    /////
    I’m not sure what correlation you’re going for here. The Vikes already had the 31st defense last year. And this article and Adam Thielen has nothing to do with that.

  21. Cousins only ever targeted Jefferson, Thielen will greatly benefit from any QB that is willing to throw to whoever is open rather than the “Star” player.

  22. I predicted he’d get 3 years and $30 mil when the Vikings cut him. He obviously chose the Panthers because they were either the highest bidder, or the only bidder. It sure wasn’t because he thinks they’ll run deep in the playoffs.

  24. rockczar says:
    March 19, 2023 at 8:15 pm
    The Panthers are drafting a quarterback. Franchise quarterback is yet to be seen.
    ////
    And chances are, Thielen will be retired before the rookie makes the playoffs.

  25. ghjjf says:
    March 19, 2023 at 8:36 pm
    Cousins only ever targeted Jefferson
    ///////

    In 2022, Thielen caught 70 passes for 716 yards and six touchdowns. How many times do you think Thielen was open, 100?

  26. Good lord that means nobody really called the dude. Carolina doesn’t even have a QB. I fully expect him to be traded before the deadline

    Hope he likes blocking

  29. “which will deliver a franchise quarterback”. So 1st overall QBs are a guaranteed to pan out now? Someone better tell Baker Mayfield.

  30. Predicting 100 catches….300 total yards….good hands…no speed

  32. Great signing. I’m impressed. Good for him. Confidence never hurts. It’s a three-year deal and I personally believe he was misused in Minnesota because of their over-reliance on Justin Jefferson. At this point of his career he may be a No.3 receiver, but there’s nothing wrong with having a solid, reliable, experienced No.3 that can still surprise you and is also a person of good character. Terrific locker room influence. Beautiful and generous family. You got yourselves a good one, methinks.

  33. Cousins only ever targeted Jefferson, Thielen will greatly benefit from any QB that is willing to throw to whoever is open rather than the “Star” player.

    ////////

    These takes are hilarious, despite being behind the best receiver in the NFL he was 35th in the league in targets. 35th out of the top 40 targeted receivers in yds per catch and he had only a 2.14 avg YAC, DEAD LAST amongst the top 40 most targeted receivers. I have loved thielen as a Viking but he is in the twilight of his career and not worth what the Vikings were going to pay him or what the panthers are going to pay him.

  35. The thing that should have given teams (and probably did give most teams) pause is that in games where Jefferson was shut down – Philly, Dallas, and the second GB game – Thielen couldn’t pick up the slack against #2 CBs. He can still contribute some, but that’s a lot of money for his current ability.

  37. I wished for better for Thielen… like KC. He won’t succeed on a third rate team, and I’m truly saddened by that.

  38. I love the guy, can’t imagine him joining another team. I sure hope we don’t play them, he will eat out lunch!

  39. The guy is coming up on 33 years old was declining before the emergence of Jefferson.

  40. 1812tanker says:
    March 19, 2023 at 7:59 pm
    In for a huge season with the red BB Gun throwing 5 yard outs.
    ________________________________________________________________

    Hilarious….he’s not wrong!!!

  41. Just maybe his wife was wrong and that AT wasn’t that desired afterall. Did he have multiple visits and offers? It sure doesn’t seem like it. Good for him that he got $$$$!

  42. Big red zone target and he can block for runners whether it’s a RB, a receiver, or a scramblin’ QB

  43. KnowsMoreThanYou says:
    March 19, 2023 at 8:37 pm
    I predicted he’d get 3 years and $30 mil when the Vikings cut him.
    ______________

    You might want to get out of the prediction business.

  44. Sounds like a win for the Panthers there!! Now on to that franchise number 1 pick baby!!!!

  45. The guy made $64M with the Vikes, and turned down a pay cut and less touches moving forward. He’s going to find out soon enough that he can’t spend all the money he already has, and the grass isn’t always greener. Onward.

  46. The Carolina Panthers receiving corps? is not going to scare anyone in the NFL. It is what it is. Signed….John Fox.

  47. gibson45 says:
    March 20, 2023 at 5:58 am
    KnowsMoreThanYou says:
    March 19, 2023 at 8:37 pm
    I predicted he’d get 3 years and $30 mil when the Vikings cut him.
    ______________

    You might want to get out of the prediction business.
    ///////
    He got 3 years, $25 mil. I would say I was closer than most. Many on PFT kept saying $5-6 mil a year. $8+ is what he got. Good on him. I highly doubt the Vikings offered that much in a restructure, if they actually offered anything at all.

  48. iejdaniel says:
    March 20, 2023 at 9:18 am
    The guy made $64M with the Vikes, and turned down a pay cut and less touches moving forward. He’s going to find out soon enough that he can’t spend all the money he already has, and the grass isn’t always greener. Onward.
    //////
    This is kind of curious, but also kind of normal. A guy gets used to making so much, feels insulted his team would ask him for a pay cut, goes elsewhere. But, was he even offered a pay cut by the Vikings, or did they just release him? And no, I absolutely do not believe he is going to win more games with the Panthers than with the Vikings. There is no way possible he signed with them because he thinks it is his best chance at a ring. Until I hear otherwise, the Panthers were either the highest bidder, or the first and only bidder.

  49. qckappa says:
    March 20, 2023 at 12:39 am
    Just maybe his wife was wrong and that AT wasn’t that desired afterall. Did he have multiple visits and offers? It sure doesn’t seem like it. Good for him that he got $$$$!
    //////
    I am of the mindset that you don’t let your spouse or parents talk about your business in public. Sure, they want to defend you. But it’s usually best if they just support you at home, quietly.

  50. Vikings Please Just Once Before I Die says:
    March 19, 2023 at 11:39 pm
    I love the guy, can’t imagine him joining another team. I sure hope we don’t play them, he will eat out lunch!
    //////
    I mean, the Vikings had the 31st ranked D, so everybody kind of ate their lunch, until the Vikings offense took the field for 13 wins. Other than that, Thielen isn’t a WR you worry too much about or plan your D around. He’s solid. A lower level WR2 now, but solid. But again, not somebody you come close to designing your D around for a game.

  51. austinspencer says:
    March 19, 2023 at 10:23 pm
    He’s a “move the sticks” guy that every team needs for 3rd downs.
    //////
    Not a bad analogy. Or a red zone target guy. But, is that worth $8+ mil a season? Obviously, it sure wasn’t worth anywhere close to the $20 mil cap hit the Vikings would have eaten to keep him. Only true die hard Vikings fan are crazy enough to think that.

  53. Good for Adam.

    Meanwhile, Minnesota’s front offense continues to look like amateur hour. Quick someone send Kwesi one of those “GM for Dummies” books

  55. KnowsMoreThanYou says:
    March 20, 2023 at 9:46 am
    gibson45 says:
    March 20, 2023 at 5:58 am
    KnowsMoreThanYou says:
    March 19, 2023 at 8:37 pm
    I predicted he’d get 3 years and $30 mil when the Vikings cut him.
    ______________

    You might want to get out of the prediction business.
    ///////
    He got 3 years, $25 mil. I would say I was closer than most. Many on PFT kept saying $5-6 mil a year. $8+ is what he got. Good on him. I highly doubt the Vikings offered that much in a restructure, if they actually offered anything at all.
    _______________

    How much of that is guaranteed? He won’t even be playing three years from now.

  56. KnowsMoreThanYou says:
    March 20, 2023 at 9:51 am
    qckappa says:
    March 20, 2023 at 12:39 am
    Just maybe his wife was wrong and that AT wasn’t that desired afterall. Did he have multiple visits and offers? It sure doesn’t seem like it. Good for him that he got $$$$!
    //////
    I am of the mindset that you don’t let your spouse or parents talk about your business in public. Sure, they want to defend you. But it’s usually best if they just support you at home, quietly.
    _____________

    Your parents brought you into the world. Without them you would not exist. They can say anything about you that they please.

  57. KnowsMoreThanYou says:
    I am of the mindset that you don’t let your spouse or parents talk about your business in public. Sure, they want to defend you. But it’s usually best if they just support you at home, quietly.
    _____________

    This is 2023. Wives do not need their husband’s permission to speak.

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