The Carolina Panthers are staring down yet another rebuild after benching Bryce Young, which means they could trade veterans like Adam Thielen for a future draft pick who could help the team in 2025 and beyond. After spending his early years with the Minnesota Vikings, Thielen joined the Panthers last year in what was perhaps the only good move the organization made. Serving as the lone reliable target in the offense, the wide receiver finished the season with 103 receptions for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns.
Adam Thielen kept his starting job in 2024 and will remain involved until the Panthers trade him. However, he’s 34 years old and is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Seeing as he has no guaranteed money on his contract beyond this season, the two-time Pro Bowler will probably play somewhere else in 2025, so why wouldn’t Carolina deal him to a contender like the Kansas City Chiefs or the Los Angeles Chargers?
Chiefs, Chargers Could Trade For Adam Thielen
Despite winning the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs entered the offseason with a glaring need at the wide receiver position. Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling weren’t getting the job done, so the Chiefs spent big on free agent Marquise Brown and traded up to select the speedy Xavier Worthy. When paired with second-year wideout Rashee Rice and future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce, Kansas City had the pieces to form the league’s best offense. Had everything gone according to plan, the Chiefs would have no reason to trade for Adam Thielen.
Unfortunately, injuries reared their ugly head. Marquise Brown’s preseason injury will likely sideline him for the entire season, and Kelce is starting to slow down. Patrick Mahomes can create a strong offense with Rice and Worthy, but they could benefit from an Adam Thielen trade. Thielen still has some juice left in his tank, but his veteran leadership could be invaluable to this organization. An 11-year veteran, Thielen could provide some much-needed guidance for the two promising youngsters as they help power one of the most prominent passing attacks in the game.
More Help For Herbert
The Los Angeles Chargers are currently tied with the Chiefs for the division crown. Led by first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers comfortably won their first two matchups thanks to their strong run game and ferocious defense. This style of play might be good enough to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers, but it won’t be enough to compete with the top teams in the AFC. Justin Herbert is one of the best quarterbacks in the game, but he can’t do it all alone. Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston both showed promise thus far, but an Adam Thielen trade could be exactly what this team needs.
Just like the Chiefs, the Chargers are trying to get by with two inexperienced receivers with high draft capital. While McConkey and Johnston both have decent ceilings, their inexperience means they might not be ideal candidates for high-leverage targets. This team should trade for a veteran with an advanced knowledge of the game, and Adam Thielen fits that description to a tee. Maybe he doesn’t have another 1,000-yard season in his tank, but the wideout is more than capable of earning a spot on this shallow depth chart.
Main Photo: Bob Donnan – USA Today Sports
