The NFL offseason is here and Carolina Panthers fans are wondering what the future holds for several veteran players this spring — including wide receiver Adam Thielen.
Thielen, 34, revealed earlier this month that he intends to continue his NFL career for at least one more season. Having said that, the two-time Pro Bowl WR seemed unsure if he wants to continue playing with the Panthers, leaving fans to speculate if an offseason trade could be in the cards.
While trading Thielen makes sense if he doesn't want to stay in Charlotte, one player's Super Bowl 59 performance made it clear that the Panthers must do what they can to retain the veteran playmaker.
Panthers Must Keep Adam Thielen After Super Bowl 59
Several players had standout performances at Super Bowl 59, including Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean. The former Iowa Hawkeye — who finished the 2024 campaign as Pro Football Focus' No. 1-graded CB — had a performance to remember in New Orleans, finishing with three tackles, a 38-yard Pick-6, and a season-high 91.0 coverage grade.
DeJean's memorable showing caused Bleacher Report's Nate Duncan to reflect on Thielen's future as a Panther.
"Thielen had DeJean in a blend in our matchup but my fanbase wanna ship him to the retirement home," Duncan wrote.
Adam Thielen had Dejean in a blender in our matchup but my fanbase wanna ship him to the retirement home.
— Unnecessary Bluntness Owner/Coach/QB (@DuncOnDemand) February 10, 2025
For those who need a reminder, Thielen and the Panthers collided with DeJean's Eagles back in December for a Week 14 showdown. Although Philadelphia emerged victorious with a 22-16 win at Lincoln Financial Field, the team's star cornerback had no answer for the Carolina pass-catcher.
Thielen finished the encounter with a season-high nine receptions, converting those opportunities into a whopping 102 receiving yards. Conversely, DeJean finished the outing with uninspiring grades of 50.8 and 39.8 for coverage and tackling, respectively, proving that the grizzled Panthers playmaker can still keep up with the NFL's best ballhawks.
Even though he missed seven games due to injury, Thielen still finished the 2024 season with a respectable 615 yards and five touchdowns on 48 catches. Had he remained healthy, the ex-Minnesota State WR was on pace for an 82-1,046-9 stat line in 17 games — the type of receiver quarterback Bryce Young would continue benefitting from having at his disposal.
Thielen plays an important role in the Panthers' offense and is still capable of being a WR1/2 when healthy. It's in general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales' best interest to do what they can to ensure Thielen is still in the fold come training camp.