Panthers News: Adam Thielen, Bryce Young, draft rankings and Leonard Fournette
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers WR Adam Thielen on Vikings' exit
Adam Thielen joining the Carolina Panthers in free agency was a telling indication of how well general manager Scott Fitterer and head coach Frank Reich were selling the project. The wide receiver had offers from teams that stand a better chance of competing for a Super Bowl, but he clearly felt this was the best spot to hopefully finish his career on a high.
Thielen might be on the wrong side of 30 years old now, but he remains one of the sharpest route runners in the business. Something that will be a major asset to rookie quarterback Bryce Young during his first season in a professional environment.
When speaking to the Daily Delivery podcast via NFL.com, Thielen opened up about his departure from the Minnesota Vikings, where he'd spent his whole career after going undrafted. Although there are no hard feelings, the wideout sensed from early on that the franchise would likely go in a different direction thanks to some significant salary-cap difficulties.
"You know, it's really hard to explain the entire situation. I don't think there was ever a point where I was unhappy with what I was doing. It was just pretty clear that they had a different vision for me than maybe I had for a way that I could help the team win games. There wasn't a wrong thing. There wasn't disrespect on either side. I think it was just time for both sides to move on."
-Â Adam Thielen via NFL.com
Minnesota's loss could be Carolina's gain if Thielen meets expectations. The Panthers need someone to step up after including D.J. Moore in the trade package that landed them the No. 1 pick, but there is enough in the wide receiver room to suggest a strong campaign could arise if everything goes well throughout the preparation period.