NFL Rumors: Adam Thielen, Panthers Agree to 3-Year Contract after Vikings Release

Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Adam Thielen is going to play for the Carolina Panthers next season.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the 32-year-old is finalizing a three-year deal with the Panthers.

Thielen became a free agent for the first time in his career after being released by the Minnesota Vikings on March 10.

NFL.com's Kevin Patra noted the Minnesota State product had talks with the Vikings about restructuring his contract to reduce his $19.97 million cap hit in 2023, but the two sides were unable to agree to terms before he was released.

Thielen spent 10 seasons in Minnesota after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He didn't appear in a game during his rookie season but started to see playing time primarily on special teams in 2014.

The 2016 season was his breakout campaign in the NFL. He led the Vikings with 967 yards and finished second on the team with five touchdowns.

Thielen had his best two-year stretch in 2017 and 2018. He was named to the Pro Bowl twice, surpassed 1,200 receiving yards both years and caught 13 touchdowns on 204 receptions in 32 games.

Even though injuries limited him to 10 games in 2019, he still tied for the team lead with six touchdown receptions. He had a playoff career-high 129 receiving yards in the 26-20 win over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wild Card game in January 2020.

The addition of Justin Jefferson to the Vikings' offense in the 2020 season took some shine away from Thielen, but he remained a go-to target for Kirk Cousins in the red zone. He had 30 touchdown receptions over the past three seasons combined.

Only Cris Carter and Randy Moss have more touchdown catches in Vikings history than Thielen's 55. He also ranks third in franchise history with 543 receptions and fourth with 6,682 receiving yards.

There has been a decline in his overall performance recently, though. He's only averaged 10.5 yards per reception over the past two seasons after being over 12.0 yards per catch in each of his first eight seasons.

At this point in his career, Thielen is probably best served playing primarily out of the slot. He's still capable of taking some snaps on the outside, but his lack of elite speed makes him a better fit on the inside for Carolina.

If the Panthers are going to use the No. 1 overall pick to bring in a quarterback, they need to give him some receivers who can help take some of the pressure off.

Acquiring the top pick in the 2023 NFL draft cost the Panthers a package that included DJ Moore. He was terrific amid all the chaos they had at quarterback in recent years. The 25-year-old had three consecutive 1,100-yard seasons from 2019-21 and another 888 yards in 2022.

Once Moore was traded, the Panthers' top two wide receivers were Terrace Marshall Jr. and Shi Smith.

Thielen isn't a player you want to build a receiver room around at this point in his career, but he provides a level of stability for the Panthers they desperately needed. He can make contested catches and is versatile enough to play in the slot or on the outside.

A young quarterback is going to need a safety net. Thielen will likely be Carolina's No. 1 wideout for whomever the next signal-caller ends up being.