CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The Carolina Panthers have traded one of their star players, just days before the season begins.
Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen was traded to the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday morning for a pair of draft picks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Rumors of a trade had been swirling for days leading up to the Aug. 27 trade. The deal sends Thielen back to Minnesota, where he grew up and played for the Vikings from 2013-2022. Carolina signed him away prior to the 2023 campaign.
The 35-year-old was still productive over his past two seasons with Carolina, despite his age. In 27 games with the Panthers, Thielen caught 151 passes for more than 1,600 yards and nine touchdowns.
According to Schefter, the Panthers received:
2026 fifth-round pick
2027 fourth-round pick
The Vikings received:
Adam Thielen
Conditional 2026 seventh-round pick
2027 fifth-round pick
Thielen had become a fan favorite during his two years with Carolina, but his return to Minnesota will perhaps be met with even more fanfare.
The Panthers traded wide receiver Adam Thielen back to his hometown Vikings on Aug. 27.
The Panthers traded wide receiver Adam Thielen back to his hometown Vikings on Aug. 27.(Lynne Sladky | AP)
Thielen is from Detroit Lakes, Minn., and played collegiately at Minnesota State before he joined the Vikings as an undrafted free agent. He is Minnesota through-and-through, and was always popular with Vikings fans during his first stint.
With the veteran now gone from Carolina, the door is opened even more for young receivers Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. Legette and Coker are entering their second years, while McMillan is just days away from officially beginning his rookie season.
The Panthers had a wealth of receivers throughout training camp and the preseason, and made a difficult decision in cutting fellow veteran and former Clemson star Hunter Renfrow on Tuesday. After the trade, there appears a decent chance Renfrow could be back.
All 32 NFL teams had to cut their rosters down to 53 players by Tuesday afternoon, and while the Panthers’ roster was technically “final,” additional moves were expected and have now happened.
Carolina will open its 2025 regular season on Sunday, Sept. 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Also Read:Panthers release North Carolina native as part of roster rebuild
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