Dec 30, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) talks to quarterback Kirk Cousins. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
The free agency lasted nine days, and ex-Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen has a new NFL destination.
He’ll stay in the NFC as a member of the Carolina Panthers.
The Vikings parted ways with Thielen on March 10th after 10 marvelous seasons, a cap-clearing maneuver and a fresh purple start for the organization at WR2.
NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport tweeted Sunday, “Sources: The Panthers are finalizing a 3-year deal with former Vikings WR Adam Thielen, as his second act begins in Carolina.”
The Thielen biography is everywhere and beloved, but the Minnesotan rose to power late in the 2015 season and mauled his way up Minnesota’s depth chart to WR1 by 2016. Thielen earned instant chemistry with then-QB1 Sam Bradford and took off as a household name in Minnesota and later the country.
An undrafted free agent in 2013, Thielen was “supposed to be” just a special teams guy, but he used the following three seasons to prove legitimacy. He tallied 967 receiving yards in 2016 — while starting 10 games — and truly blossomed as the real deal in 2017, with 91 receptions for 1,276 yards and 4 touchdowns. Thielen and storybook passer Case Keenum created folkloric harmony, and Minnesota damn near won a Super Bowl in a season riddled by injuries — that it had no business even making the playoffs.
Now in Carolina, the Vikings coincidentally play Thielen’s new team this autumn or winter in North Carolina. So, Thielen will get a crack at his old friends earlier than most on his new home turf.
The Panthers have the first overall pick in April’s draft and are virtually guaranteed to select a quarterback — probably Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud. Unless the Panthers patchover Young or Stroud in tandem with Andy Dalton, a free-agent addition from last week, Thielen, 32, will help the young passer grow while winding down his illustrious carer.
BroBible‘s Dov Kleiman tweeted Sunday before the Thielen-Panthers agreement that Carolina was also targeting free-agent wideout D.J. Chark, “The Panthers are ‘attempting’ to sign both former Vikings WR Adam Thielen and former Lions WR DJ Chark, according to ESPN Carolina recently traded away WR1 DJ Moore to the Bears and need to replace him.”
Thielen is the Vikings third-leading receiver in catches (534), third in receiving touchdowns (55), and fourth in receiving yards (6,682) throughout franchise history.
Thielen joins former Vikings Xavier Woods (S) and Myles Dorn (S) already on Carolina’s roster.
The financial terms of Thielen’s deal were not readily available.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.