Adam Thielen

Panthers Activate Adam Thielen From IR

November 12th, 2024 at 11:21am CST by Sam Robinson

Adam Thielen‘s 21-day activation window was set to close Wednesday. As a result, Carolina will indeed move the veteran wide receiver back onto its 53-man roster.

The Panthers officially activated Thielen from IR, burning one of their IR-return moves in order to have the 34-year-old pass catcher back in the fold. Had the team passed on doing so, Thielen would have spent the rest of the season on IR. The three-time 1,000-yard receiver has worked his way back from a hamstring injury.

Having not played since Week 3, Thielen has missed much of his second Panthers season. The team had turned to Andy Dalton before the Raiders game that featured Thielen’s injury but has since traded Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo and then turned back to Bryce Young. While rumblings of the team giving Dalton another chance emerged following the thumb injury he sustained in a car accident, Young has guided the team to back-to-back wins.

It would stand to reason, based on the investment the Panthers made in the former Heisman winner, the younger passer would remain at the controls. Thielen is now back in the picture to help Young develop. The longtime Vikings starter arrived, via a three-year deal worth $25MM, to help Young develop last year. He was about the only positive component on the 2023 Panthers’ offense, which faceplanted during Frank Reich and Thomas Brown‘s stewardship. Thielen still picked up his third 1,000-yard season and entered this year with a fully guaranteed salary.

As could be expected given Thielen’s age and Carolina’s place during this rebuild, the 12th-year wideout came up in trade rumors. Thielen was mentioned along with Johnson and Mingo as trade candidates, with a move to a contender believed to be a development the second-year Panther would appreciate. Prior to acquiring Mike Williams, the Steelers showed interest. No trade happened, and Thielen is now positioned to work with first-rounder Xavier Legette and rookie UDFA Jalen Coker as Carolina’s top receivers.

It is possible Thielen could still be cut, in an effort to send him to a contending team, but he would hit the waiver wire if dropped since the trade deadline has passed. A team would be responsible for just less than $2MM in the event of a Thielen claim. For now, the possession target — who had displayed frustration about the state of the team’s passing attack in September — remains a Panther ahead of the team’s Week 12 matchup with the Chiefs.

The Panthers cut wideout-turned-tight end Jordan Matthews once again to clear a roster spot for Thielen. The former WR starter is in his second season with the Panthers.

Trade Rumors: Panthers, Thielen, Texans, Steelers, Slayton, Giants, Dolphins, Vikings

November 4th, 2024 at 3:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adam Thielen ripped off his third 1,000-yard season last year but did so for a 2-15 Panthers team. Although the Panthers notched their second win of the season, they are certainly not expected to sniff playoff contention this season. Thielen’s name has come up in trade rumors, and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes the 34-year-old receiver’s camp would like to catch on with a contender to close out this season. The Panthers are open to more seller’s moves, after their Diontae Johnson trade. While Carolina has some players in mind for post-2024 work, Thielen’s three-year, $25MM contract and age would make him a cut candidate next year.

Going down with a hamstring injury early this season, Thielen is in the IR-return window. That could affect his trade availability, but the possession target said (via ESPN.com’s David Newton) he expects to return in Week 10. That would obviously align with Tuesday’s deadline. It would cost the Panthers roughly $11MM — spread out between this year and next — to trade Thielen, but that would be unlikely to deter the rebuilding team if it received an offer. The Panthers’ Johnson return checked in low enough it caught plenty of attention, and with the team picking up some of the traded WR’s tab, it would not surprise if a team paid some of Thielen’s remaining money (roughly $2.4MM) to facilitate a swap.

Any player cut beyond the deadline is subject to waivers, something that could come up if the Panthers hold onto the veteran past Tuesday. Here is the latest from the market:

Teams still interested in adding receivers include the Steelers and Texans, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero said during a Rich Eisen Show appearance. Pittsburgh’s interest in adding a WR piece has been well known for months, and Thielen is on the radar after Christian Kirk talks fell through. While conflicting reports are coming out of Houston. The AFC South leaders have been linked to both standing pat following the Stefon Diggs injury and then exploring the market. Pelissero predicts the Steelers’ odyssey will conclude with a receiver added by Tuesday’s deadline.
Unless Courtland Sutton is moved months after the Broncos rejected a third-rounder from the 49ers for him, Darius Slayton may be the top name available. Regardless of the reported high price the Giants have set on the sixth-year wideout, Breer adds the team has looked into trading both he and Azeez Ojulari for a bit now. Both are in contract years for a 2-7 team, with Ojulari generating extensive interest. The Cardinals were in on Ojulari, but they filled their OLB need with Baron Browning today. Also looking for EDGE help, the Falcons have checked in as well. Neither Slayton nor Ojulari want to be dealt, but the Giants are in position to strongly consider moving each. Slayton also suffered a concussion Sunday, which stands to impact his status as a trade chip. The Steelers are believed to be interested in the four-time Giants receiving leader.
The NFL features a high number of two-win teams (nine), something that could lead to more deals over the next 23-plus hours. But the 6-2 Vikings are also believed to be open to dealing away a piece. Minnesota linebacker Brian Asamoah should be considered a trade candidate, per Breer, as the Vikings have some LB depth in Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace, Kamu Grugier-Hill and hybrid player Andrew Van Ginkel. A former third-round pick, Asamoah has never started an NFL game and would not net much in a trade.
The Dolphins are one of those two-win clubs, having lost on a 61-yard Bills game-winning field goal in Week 9. Miami may still not be overly interested in selling, with Drew Rosenhaus indicating during a WSVN interview (h/t the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) the team has been looking into helping this year’s roster over the past few weeks. Miami having lost its past two games with Tua Tagovailoa healthy could contribute to this deadline approach, and Breer adds backup linebacker Duke Riley looms as a candidate to be dealt. But the team has made several big-ticket extension moves — including the Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle deals this offseason — in recent years, decisions that would stand to influence whether selling at the midseason point is prudent.

Steelers, Jaguars Discussed WR Christian Kirk Trade

November 2nd, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers have yet to make a major receiver addition in 2024, but the team continues to be linked to several pursuits on that front. A number of targets have emerged with respect to a potential trade, and Christian Kirk appears to have been one as well prior to his season-ending injury.

The Steelers had Kirk on their radar before he suffered a broken collarbone, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Taking things a step further, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds a “reasonable chance” existed that Pittsburgh was going to land him given the status of negotiations. Now, of course, the team’s attention will need to turn elsewhere.

Kirk consistently found himself in trade rumors this year, despite the fact he is under contract for 2025. None of his base salary for that year is guaranteed, so an adjustment of some kind could have been in the cards for an acquiring team. Instead, the 27-year-old will aim to recover in time for the start of next year, which will be his fourth in Jacksonville.

After failing to land Brandon Aiyuk during the summer, the Steelers have been connected to many other pass-catching options. Connections were made to the likes of Davante Adams and Cooper Kupp leading up to the trade deadline, with the same being true of a more realistic target like Mike Williams. The Jets may be more inclined to retain Williams with Allen Lazard on injured reserve, but even in that event other wideouts could still be available. A recent report indicated Pittsburgh is also interested in the Broncos’ Courtland Sutton and the Giants’ Darius Slayton, no strangers to trade speculation.

The above-referenced report from Schefter indicated that the Steelers, who are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of a WR upgrade, are also interested in the Panthers’ Adam Thielen. Thielen has been on IR since late September due to a hamstring injury, but his practice window was recently opened. As a a 34-year-old receiver on a Carolina outfit in the early stages of a rebuild, playing on a thru-2025 contract that contains no guarantees after the current campaign, Thielen is an obvious trade candidate.

Questions were raised during the offseason about the Steelers’ WR room after Diontae Johnson was traded away and Allen Robinson was released. The likes of Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins and Scotty Miller were added as depth options on the free agent market. Those newcomers are joined in the organization by third-round rookie Roman Wilson, who has been limited to only one game so far and was placed on injured reserve earlier this week.

That has left an increased workload available to Calvin Austin, who has seen nearly as many targets through eight games in 2024 (25) as he did in 17 contests last year (30). The 2022 fourth-rounder has averaged 18.4 yards per catch, making him a capable vertical threat to complement George Pickens. Austin has also had success as a punt returner, headlined by last week’s special teams touchdown against the Giants.

With just under $10MM in cap space, the Steelers could afford to be in the market for a wideout addition and Schefter’s report adds the team is not expected to stop seeking a trade partner in the wake of the potential Kirk deal falling through. Pittsburgh’s offense could stand to see an uptick in efficiency in the passing game, something which could of course take place with an extended run for Russell Wilson at quarterback. His list of pass-catching options could nevertheless still expand in the near future.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

Examining Final Stage Of WR Trade Market

October 31st, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The top dominoes on the wide receiver trade market have likely fallen. Third-round picks changed hands in the Davante Adams and Amari Cooper swaps, and DeAndre Hopkins will join Adams as a Hall of Fame candidate — one who can now bolster his case by moving the needle for a Chiefs threepeat bid.

Diontae Johnson also wound up in a second trade this year, albeit for lower-than-expected compensation. This offseason also brought the likes of Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen and Jerry Jeudy being traded, marking another busy year — both contractually and transactionally — at the position.

More pieces figure to be moved before the deadline. Here is where things stand with the remaining trade chips at the receiver position:

Likely departures

Darius Slayton, Giants

This Giants regime attempted to move on from Slayton two years ago, leaving the proven target out of the starting lineup into training camp and cutting his pay on a rookie contract. Slayton ended up mattering quite a bit in Brian Daboll‘s first year, which produced a surprise playoff berth despite Kadarius Toney and Kenny Golladay producing next to nothing and Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson suffering season-ending injuries. Slayton, as he has throughout his career, remained a reliable albeit unspectacular Daniel Jones weapon. Slayton, 27, has led the Giants in receiving four times since being a 2019 fifth-round pick but has never eclipsed 800 yards, illustrating the long-running issues plaguing this aerial attack.

Malik Nabers arrived as a result of those issues (and the Patriots passing on the Giants’ trade-up bid for Drake Maye), but Slayton has not been marginalized. The sixth-year wideout, with 420 yards in eight games, is on pace for a career-high total. He continues to aid Jones, but with the Giants falling to 2-6 and having a Commanders matchup on tap, teams will call on Slayton. Linked to several big-name receivers this year, the Steelers are believed to be interested. The Texans may be lurking as well.

Just more than $1.3MM remains on Slayton’s through-2024 contract, and although a recent report pointed to a high asking price, this remains the best chance for the Giants to collect an asset for a player they did not extend — despite the veteran’s efforts to secure better terms — this offseason.

Mike Williams, Jets

Williams is 30, coming off an ACL tear and on a team that has rendered him to the periphery following the Adams acquisition. The free agency pickup combined for one reception since Adams’ Week 7 debut and has just 11 catches for 160 yards in eight games as a Jet. With Allen Lazard regaining steam with Aaron Rodgers healthy, it is unsurprising the Jets started shopping Williams in earnest immediately after the Adams trade. Just more than $2.3MM will remain on the former top-10 pick’s contract after tonight’s game; the Jets will wait until after their Week 9 matchup to see if a worthwhile offer emerges.

Considering the rumor volume here, enough smoke exists to predict a second Williams separation from a team this year. The Saints and Steelers have pursued him, though at 2-6, New Orleans no longer profiles as a buyer despite being in on Adams weeks ago. The Jets also are in a seller’s position, though GM Joe Douglas‘ job being on the line may keep the subtractions to a minimum. The Chargers are 4-3 and have inquired about bringing the 2017 draftee back, despite cutting him in March.

Lazard’s Thursday IR placement does throw a wrench in teams’ potential plans to trade for Williams. He was previously viewed as a near-certainty to be dealt. It would be interesting if that injury prompted the Jets to take Williams off the market due to the high-stakes circumstances tied to this season.

A to-be-determined Patriot

Three separate Pats wideouts — K.J. Osborn, Tyquan Thornton and trade-rumor fixture Kendrick Bourne — have been tied to potential moves. At 2-6, New England will need to aim for some moves before next week’s deadline. Bourne, 29, has indicated he would like to stay to help the team’s Drake Maye-fronted rebuild. In addition to Thornton being one of many highly drafted Bill Belichick wideouts who have failed to take off in Foxborough, second-year target Kayshon Boutte has griped about his role.

This fluid situation will almost definitely involve one trade. Osborn, Bourne’s rumor regularity notwithstanding, may be the more likely veteran piece New England deals. The Pats are believed to be shopping he and Bourne, despite the latter having re-signed (on a three-year, $19MM deal) in March. The 49ers, who wanted Bourne back during Brandon Aiyuk trade talks with the Patriots this summer, appear to be standing down at the position following Aiyuk’s injury. The Pats signed Osborn for one year and $4MM, but just $1.18MM consists of base salary, providing relative value for teams, as Osborn has two 600-plus-yard seasons as a Vikings slot on his resume.

Calls coming in

Tee Higgins, Bengals

Carson Palmer‘s quasi-retirement and a Jason Campbell injury producing a monster offer (first- and second-rounders) brought the Bengals to make a deadline trade; Carlos Dunlap becoming a malcontent before the 2020 deadline keyed another such move. Teams have asked about Higgins for a while, as the former second-rounder requested a trade in March. Despite a failure to complete an extension with Ja’Marr Chase this offseason, the Bengals have made it clear the younger WR is their long-term priority.

Higgins is tied to a $21.8MM franchise tag tender, being the only 2024 tag recipient not extended this offseason. Couple that $10MM-plus salary number, if traded after Week 9, and the Bengals’ past and it is a mortal lock the longtime Chase wingman finishes the season in Cincinnati. Higgins, 25, could be re-tagged in 2025, giving the Bengals another window to move on if/once they hold onto him at this year’s deadline.

Cooper Kupp, Rams

The Rams made news earlier this month by both confirming they had received calls on Kupp and a separate report suggesting the team was shopping him. The Chiefs, Bills and Steelers are among the teams to discuss Kupp with the Rams; Kansas City is believed to have preferred Kupp to the player ultimately acquired (Hopkins). But the Rams have won two straight, the second of which featuring Kupp and Puka Nacua back at work.

Sean McVay has all but confirmed Kupp is not going anywhere, and the Rams — who had wanted a return that surpassed the Adams price (conditional third-round pick) — have the former triple-crown winner signed through 2026.

D.K. Metcalf, Seahawks

At this season’s outset, Deebo Samuel appeared much less likely than Metcalf to play out a three-year contract inked during training camp in 2022. Now, Samuel is back as the 49ers’ No. 1 wideout (thanks to Aiyuk’s injury) and Metcalf is drawing trade interest. Calls have come in on the sixth-year pass catcher, who is tied to a three-year, $72MM extension that runs through 2025. The Seahawks, however, are not expected to move their top wideout.

Paired with Tyler Lockett for six seasons, Metcalf is a more appealing trade option due to his age (26). Lockett is 32, and while it is worth wondering the Seahawks would be more amenable to moving the older player, no rumors have swirled there. Seattle has hired a new coaching staff and would drop to 4-5 with a loss to Los Angeles this weekend, but it appears the Mike Macdonald-run team will stick with the big-bodied target throughout the season before potentially reassessing ahead of his contract year.

On trade radar

Jakobi Meyers, Raiders

The Raiders did extensive work on the past two quarterback classes, going elsewhere in 2023 and then seeing an effort to trade up for Jayden Daniels predictably fail this year. Las Vegas is between eras at quarterback, with a flood of rumors set to tie the team to the 2025 class undoubtedly coming soon.

The team already picked up a Jets 2025 third-rounder, but with Meyers initially signed to continue working under his three-year Patriots OC (Josh McDaniels), he makes sense as a trade chip as well. Although the Raiders were rumored to want to keep the sixth-year vet, teams are monitoring his status. The Texans, whose GM (Nick Caserio) was in place when the Pats signed Meyers as a UDFA, may be one of them. Meyers’ three-year, $33MM deal runs through 2025; no guarantees are on the accord post-2024.

Josh Palmer, Chargers

Drafted by current Raiders GM Tom Telesco, Palmer is not believed to be in the Jim Harbaugh-run Chargers’ plans much longer. The former third-round pick has been productive in recent years, as injuries to Mike Williams and Keenan Allen proved frequent in that span.

Capable of playing inside and outside, Palmer would be of interest to a team that misses on Slayton — if, in fact, the six-year Giant is moved. The Bolts are believed to be open trading Palmer, potentially wanting someone else to fill in alongside new top target Ladd McConkey. Palmer appears likely to leave as a free agent in March, so it is logical — even at 4-3 — for the Chargers to consider moving on now.

Courtland Sutton, Broncos

Never one to be excluded from rumors during one of the NFL’s trade windows, Sutton remains the Broncos’ top wideout. His purpose is now boosting Bo Nix‘s development, which is going better than most expected. As Nix won NFL Rookie of the Month honors for October, Sutton is still coming up as a candidate to be moved. The Steelers are interested, to the point they may have the ex-Russell Wilson weapon as their lead trade target. This is old hat for the seventh-year player, who has been coming up in trade rumors since the 2022 deadline. Sean Payton confirmed his WR1 drew more interest this year.

Sutton, 29, is tied to a four-year, $60MM deal — one that has become rather team-friendly, especially with no 2025 guarantees in place — that features just a $1.13MM base salary. Because the Broncos restructured the deal for cost-saving purposes, Sutton would tag them with more than $15MM in dead money — an amount that would be spread between this year and next in the event of a trade. The low salary would appeal to trade suitors, but with Wilson set to count more than $30MM against the Broncos’ 2025 cap, taking on another chunk of dead money now would be a curious strategy. Sutton’s exit would come as strange due to his importance to Nix’s growth and the Broncos having declined a third-round offer from the 49ers in August.

Jonathan Mingo, Adam Thielen, Panthers

Thielen is a 34-year-old receiver on a Panthers team early in a rebuild. No guarantees remain on the ex-Viking’s three-year, $25MM contract for 2025, making him a logical trade candidate. This topic came up recently, and despite the Panthers trading Johnson already, it is doubtful they would pass on offers to keep Thielen, who profiles as a 2025 cut candidate. The former Minnesota UDFA, who tacked on a third 1,000-yard season to his resume last season, remains in the IR-return window after a hamstring injury.

A 2023 second-round pick who has not thus far justified his draft slot, Mingo came up recently as a player who is probably not part of the Panthers’ long-term plans. Mingo may have more trade value, despite the accomplishment gap between these Carolina targets, due to his age and contract status. The Ole Miss alum’s rookie deal runs through 2026, though he is sitting on just 12 catches for 121 yards despite not missing a game this season.

WR Notes: Kirk, Thielen, Rams, Chiefs, Pats

October 27th, 2024 at 11:07am CST by Sam Robinson

Diontae Johnson is viewed as the most likely receiver domino to fall between now and the November 5 trade deadline, but Christian Kirk continues to be a name to monitor. The Jaguars wideout was mentioned as a player drawing interest earlier this month, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that has continued, naming the seventh-year veteran alongside Johnson in terms of the receivers who have generated the most trade buzz following the Davante Adams, Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins swaps.

Kirk brings an element Johnson does not, as he is signed through 2025. Playing on the four-year, $72MM pact that received scrutiny at the time, the Jags slot receiver now merely sits 25th in receiver AAV. Kirk’s 2022 free agency deal helped ignite the WR market that year, and another boom took place this offseason to render the Jacksonville deal an upper-middle-class pact. Kirk is 27 and attached to a $14.5MM base salary, which will be an issue for teams, as more than $7.5MM will remain for an acquiring team post-Week 8.

Although Kirk’s per-year number has dropped considerably on an exploding market, the Jags do have both Evan Engram and Gabe Davis signed to eight-figure AAVs. They also used a first-round pick on Brian Thomas Jr. this year. Kirk served as Trevor Lawrence‘s most trusted target in 2022 and ’23; as Thomas has shown considerable promise, Kirk has caught 25 passes for 320 yards and a touchdown this season.

Here is the latest from the WR ranks:

Add Adam Thielen to the list of Panthers potential trade chips at receiver. While Johnson is likely to go and Jonathan Mingo is viewed as a player who may not be a long-term fit, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport mentions Thielen as a candidate to be on the move as well. This would add up, as Thielen is 34 and tied to a through-2025 contract that does not have any guarantees remaining for next season. Thielen topped 1,000 yards for a woeful Panthers team last season, residing as Bryce Young‘s clear-cut top target. The ex-Viking’s follow-up effort, however, included an IR stay for a hamstring injury. Carolina has not yet activated the 12th-year veteran from IR. Injuries and age will limit Carolina’s return, but the three-time 1,000-yard pass catcher would only be owed barely $2MM if acquired before the deadline.
Tutu Atwell‘s role will diminish with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back. The diminutive Rams receiver indeed saw his snap share on offense plummet from 78% in Week 7 to 12% Thursday night. Atwell has shown flashes for the Rams, but he has not delivered extended stretches of reliability. Los Angeles did not have the former second-round pick among its top three receivers during last season’s stretch run, and ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop notes he is unlikely to be extended before his contract expires in March. This could make Atwell a trade candidate, though given the Rams’ back-to-back wins and their WR health issues, it would make more sense for the team to hang onto the contract-year player.
It could be a while before Skyy Moore returns to the Chiefs. Andy Reid said (via The Athletic’s Nate Taylor) this week the former second-round pick will need to have his core muscle injury “fixed”; the defending Super Bowl champions placed Moore on IR this week. Viewed as a starter to open last season, Moore could not hold up in that role and did not factor into Kansas City’s six-game win streak to close the year. While playing more due to the injuries to Marquise Brown and Rashee Rice early this season, Moore does not have a catch in 2024.
The Patriots made Javon Baker a healthy scratch last week, marking the third straight game that has happened for the rookie. Baker appeared to miss or show up late for a team function in London, as ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss mentions an itinerary “hiccup” took place to help lead the fourth-round pick to the sideline once again. Baker could have a path up New England’s depth chart if Kendrick Bourne and/or K.J. Osborn are moved, but he has played in just two games as a rookie. Baker is active for Week 8.

Panthers Designate Adam Thielen, Jordan Fuller To Return From IR; D.J. Wonnum In PUP-Return Window

October 23rd, 2024 at 11:10am CST by Sam Robinson

As the Panthers head toward another deadline as a likely seller, they will have some of their veteran pieces on the way back to action. Two Carolina cogs are in the IR-return window, while D.J. Wonnum is practicing after an extensive stay on the PUP list.

Wonnum, who suffered a quad tear late last season, is practicing for the first time in 2024. The Panthers have started the edge rusher’s 21-day activation clock. Ditto Adam Thielen and Jordan Fuller, who are back at practice after IR stays. While Thielen and Fuller are not yet on the active roster, it appears they will be again soon.

The Panthers have delivered another poor start, with the Dave Canales-Dan Morgan era already including a benching of Bryce Young. But the team figures to have some reinforcements soon. For Thielen, a return could be notable should the Panthers decide to go into fire-sale mode. Diontae Johnson has come up in trade rumors; at 34, Thielen would make sense as a trade candidate as well, especially with a hot receiver trade market.

Fuller is playing on a one-year deal in Carolina, but he did not stand out in the Panthers defense before his injury, so he’s unlikely to garner major trade interest. Instead, he’ll slot back into the starting lineup where Nick Scott has started the last four games in Fuller’s absence.

Wonnum can practice for up to three weeks before he has to be added to the active roster or reverts to season-ending injured reserve. He won’t be on the trade block since teams cannot evaluate his play this year, but his return may allow the Panthers to consider trading Jadeveon Clowney to a contender in need of pass rush help.

Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.

Panthers To Place Adam Thielen On IR

September 24th, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Sam Robinson

Just as the Panthers’ passing attack awakened, it will be without its most experienced option. Adam Thielen, who caught a touchdown pass in Carolina’s Week 3 win, will be shut down for a while.

Thielen suffered a hamstring injury, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets the Panthers will place the veteran wide receiver on IR. This move will give the 2023 free agency pickup time to recover ahead of the midseason point.

Hamstring maladies can certainly linger, and it might not be a lock Thielen comes back when first eligible. The 34-year-old wideout sustained what ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler calls a fairly significant injury. The Panthers saw a hamstring injury sideline Jaycee Horn for 10 games in 2023, with the IR move involving the cornerback sidelining him for almost all of Frank Reich‘s short-lived tenure. Thielen will be shut down until at least Week 8.

A notable market formed for Thielen following his 2023 Vikings release, and the Panthers won out with a three-year deal worth $25MM. Thielen, who commanded a $14MM guarantee at signing, was far and away Carolina’s top pass catcher last season. His 1,014 receiving yards led an anemic Panthers offense by nearly 500. Carolina, however, has since remade its receiving corps by trading for Diontae Johnson and using a first-round pick on Xavier Legette. This duo will be called upon to pick up the slack while Thielen rehabs.

Thielen’s injury occurred on his diving TD catch from new starter Andy Dalton. This will mark the former UDFA’s first missed game action since the 2021 season, when he missed four contests. Thielen now has three 1,000-yard seasons on his resume, which produced two Vikings extensions and his current Panthers pact. At 34, however, the Division II product is the NFL’s oldest active wideout.

While Thielen’s post-2024 Charlotte future is in doubt due to his age and nonguaranteed salary, this year’s edition will certainly miss the dependable possession target. Johnson is coming off a career-high 122 receiving yards with Dalton having taken over for Bryce Young, but this will thrust two of Carolina’s young targets — Legette and second-year cog Jonathan Mingo — into heavier workloads. It will be interesting to see how the younger pair responds now that more will be expected following Dalton’s strong showing.

Latest On Panthers’ Wide Receiving Corps

July 5th, 2024 at 10:04pm CST by Ely Allen

Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen had an excellent 2024 campaign, reminiscent of some of his best seasons with the Vikings. Besides the 33-year-old’s standout effort, rookie quarterback Bryce Young didn’t get much help throughout a rocky first season. As a result, the Panthers made two big moves to augment the receiving corps this offseason, requiring recent high draft picks to show up soon or, perhaps, get pushed out.

After Thielen’s 103-reception, 1,014-yard, four-score effort, the next-best receiving performances were from free agent addition DJ Chark (35 receptions-525 yards-5 touchdowns) and second-round rookie Jonathan Mingo (43-418-0). Rounding out the room, former second-round pick Terrace Marshall (19-139-0), former Jaguars second-round pick Laviska Shenault (10-60-0), Ihmir Smith-Marsette (8-51-0), and Mike Strachan (1-45-0) each provided minimal contributions in Young’s rookie year.

Besides Shenault, that entire group returns in 2024. Thielen will obviously remain a starter, though he may be challenged by trade acquisition Diontae Johnson for the WR1-role. Johnson averaged about 872 yards and five touchdowns per year over five seasons in Pittsburgh. Putting forth an average season would already provide a significant upgrade to the room.

Joining Johnson as a newcomer to the group is first-round draft pick Xavier Legette. An explosive but inexperienced weapon out of South Carolina, Legette brings an air of mystery to the Panthers. Legette spent four years with the Gamecocks before finally becoming a main contributor as a redshirt senior, totaling more in 2023 (71-1,255-7) than he did in the four prior years combined (42-423-5).

Barely making it into the first round as the 32nd overall selection in this year’s draft, Legette will be competing with the team’s two former second-round picks in his rookie season for the WR3 job. While Marshall has had trouble staying on the field since getting drafted out of LSU, missing at least three games in each year including eight last year, his second season stats (28-490-1) resembled Mingo’s rookie numbers, but he was mostly a non-factor during his other two seasons. Mingo could certainly take step forward in Year 2, but he’ll now be forced to outperform Legette in training camp to remain a starter.

One under the radar addition that could prove effective is UFL star Daewood Davis. A former undrafted free agent for the Dolphins out of Western Kentucky, Davis caught 41 passes for 446 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games with the Memphis Showboats. If he uses that pro experience to enhance his offseason performance in 2024, Davis could make a strong play for a roster spot and, perhaps, even a role in the receiver-rotation.

Regardless, Carolina’s 2024 receiving corps looks to be much improved from the group fielded by the Panthers in 2023. Thielen and Johnson figure to form a strong, experienced duo atop the depth chart. Past those two, Carolina just needs one of Legette, Mingo, Marshall, Davis, or another to step up and provide a strong WR3 for Young.

WR Notes: Watson, Metchie, Chark, McLaurin, Smith-Njigba

September 8th, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Jordan Love‘s tenure as the Packers‘ full-time starting quarterback will have a bit of a hurdle to navigate this week. In his first start since November 2021, Love will be without the team’s top returning receiver Christian Watson, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.

Watson is dealing with a hamstring injury that could potentially lead to an extended absence. Head coach Matt LaFleur claimed that he doesn’t think Watson will reach a three- or four-week absence but classified the second-year wideout as week-to-week.

The top target in Watson’s absence, fellow sophomore receiver Romeo Doubs, is also dealing with a hamstring injury but is only listed as questionable heading into the weekend. Rookie wideout Dontayvion Wicks is the third such receiver on the team dealing with a hamstring injury, but he managed to avoid the injury report altogether. Star tackle David Bakhtiari is also available after staying off the injury report.

Here are a few more reports on wide receiver injuries from around the league heading into Week 1:

The world will have to continue to wait for the NFL debut of Texans wide receiver John Metchie III, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Despite making a recovery from both a torn ACL and leukemia, Metchie is still dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. Houston is being patient, taking a “big-picture approach” to Metchie’s return. The team will be without safety Jimmie Ward and linebacker Blake Cashman for Week 1, as well.
The Panthers are slowly working their way back to full health in their receiving corps, according to Panthers writer Augusta Stone. Back ups Terrace Marshall and Ihmir Smith-Marsette are now fully participating in practice after recent injury trouble. Starters Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark Jr. both returned to practice today in a limited capacity. While Thielen was listed as questionable and could still play, Chark has been ruled out for the team’s season opener.
The Commanders drew lots of criticism when leading receiver Terry McLaurin sustained an injury as the team played its starters fairly deep into a preseason game in an effort to end the Ravens’ preseason win streak. They’ll dodge a bullet, though, as McLaurin will be active this week after making good progress from his turf toe injury, according to Commanders senior writer Zach Selby. He’s had a couple of full participation practices and should be good to go for Week 1. Defensive end Chase Young has been listed as questionable, though. Head coach Ron Rivera claimed that “if (Young’s) cleared, he’ll go.”
Despite undergoing wrist surgery just two and a half weeks ago, Seahawks rookie first round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba is expected to play in the team’s season opener against the Rams this Sunday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Head coach Pete Carroll, who was optimistic on the recovery timeline, confirmed as much this week.

Broncos Pursued Adam Thielen, Allen Lazard; Jerry Jeudy Still Drawing Trade Interest

March 26th, 2023 at 7:39am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 26: Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required) reiterates earlier reports that the Broncos are seeking a first-round pick in a Jeudy trade, with Troy Renck of Denver 7 tweeting that the club is holding firm on that demand. Doug Kyed of AtoZSports.com hears that Jeudy may be a more realistic trade option than Hopkins, but Denver’s insistence on a first-rounder in exchange for Jeudy could be an indication that the team does not really want to move him.

League sources tell Howe that Denver’s asking price for Sutton remains too high as well, so although the Broncos’ interest in free agent pass catchers does suggest that Payton & Co. are perhaps willing to make some changes to their receiver room, it is clear that a club that wants Jeudy or Sutton is going to need to make an especially aggressive offer.

Indeed, Cabot reports that the Browns never got close to landing Jeudy. Cleveland was prepared to deal the No. 42 overall pick in this year’s draft — the same pick that it used to acquire Elijah Moore from the Jets — but the team would have also needed to include a talented player or another high selection in the 2024 draft, and even that may not have been enough.

MARCH 22: While reports of the Broncos’ plans to keep Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton keep emerging, the again-retooling team’s starting wide receivers continue to come up in trade rumors. Denver’s pursuits of other wide receivers in free agency may provide a hint to Sean Payton‘s plans at the position.

Adam Thielen said the Broncos and Cowboys joined the Panthers in pursuing him in free agency, David Newton of ESPN.com notes, while The Score’s Jordan Schultz adds the team made an aggressive push for Allen Lazard before he signed with the Jets (Twitter link).

As the Broncos potentially helped drive up the prices for Thielen and Lazard, who respectively received $14MM and $22MM fully guaranteed, the subject will shift back to their holdover receivers. Denver rosters a former first-round pick (Jeudy), two outside receivers on veteran deals (Sutton, Tim Patrick) and a second-round deep threat who has battled steady injury problems (KJ Hamler). Given the team’s pursuits of outside help at the position, it can be assumed Payton wants to shake up this position, which has not seen major augmentations since the Jeudy and Hamler selections three years ago.

Count the Browns as a team in on Jeudy. While the Broncos want a first-round pick for Jeudy, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the Browns have not given up on a pursuit despite their lack of a first-round selection this year. The Broncos are not truly keeping Jeudy off the market, Cabot adds, as they are willing to part with the fourth-year receiver for a strong offer.

The Cowboys look to be off the table for Jeudy, after they acquired Brandin Cooks, but teams like the Giants and Patriots have previously looked into the talented pass catcher. While DeAndre Hopkins is willing to rework his contract, the Cardinals wideout’s through-2024 deal would be more expensive to acquire than Jeudy’s. A modest fifth-year option price can extend Jeudy’s rookie deal through 2024. With some teams still look for receiving help during an offseason that brought an unremarkable free agency crop and looks to feature a lesser group of prospects in the draft, Jeudy’s name will carry value in the weeks leading up to the draft.

The Browns have Amari Cooper tied to his Cowboys-constructed $20MM-per-year deal. Although the team restructured Cooper’s contract last year, his cap numbers sit at $23.8MM in 2023 and ’24. The team also restructured Deshaun Watson‘s deal, ballooning his 2024-26 cap numbers to record-obliterating figures while dropping his 2023 hit to $19.1MM. The Browns hold just more than $10MM in cap space. Jeudy would fit alongside Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones in Cleveland; the latter is going into a contract year but produced his best season in 2022.

Denver’s wideouts have yet to put it together. Quarterback play, injuries and last year’s disjointed offense have played a major role in Jeudy and Sutton’s inconsistency. But the team’s pursuits of Thielen and Lazard will not quiet the rumblings that either Jeudy or Sutton could be on the move ahead of the draft. Sutton and Patrick’s skillsets overlap, and Thielen and Lazard also qualify as possession targets. Jeudy’s route-running chops and elusiveness differ from both the incumbent targets and the recent free agents, but at 23, he would fetch the Broncos the best haul.

The Broncos, they of no first- or second-round pick this year, continue to be faced with a choice of retaining a promising wide receiver — one who would stand to move the needle as Payton attempts to reignite Russell Wilson — or moving on in exchange for vital 2023 draft capital.

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