The Carolina Panthers invested two high draft picks in wide receivers in the last two years, one coming as the very last pick in the first round. They also added undrafted rookie Jalen Coker who is pegged as a possible breakout candidate.
Despite the clear investment in the position, veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen remains their best player out wide. He is going to be 35 by the time the season gets into full swing, but Thielen showed last year that he's still the top dog. He was the only player out there that Bryce Young could routinely trust, and he made big plays for Young instead of relying on perfect ball placement to make the catch. He just shunned retirement, and he has one year left on his deal, but he would leave a major void on offense.
The logic behind moving a player who clearly doesn't fit with the current timeline is not bad. Adam Thielen won't be around, in all likelihood, to see what the Panthers can become in the future. But that ignores the fact that he's still the best pass-catcher on the roster by a wide margin. Bleacher Report's Adam Ballantine argues , "Trading Adam Thielen would be a good way to get some value while they can.
Thielen has been productive despite playing into his mids, but he spent seven games on the injured reserve dealing with a hamstring injury. If someone is willing to give up a draft pick for the final year of Thielen's contract it would be a smart long-term move for Carolina.
The only way this move isn't a total bust for the Panthers offense, which could hurt Bryce Young's exciting development, is if they make another move for a wide receiver. If they draft Tetairoa McMillan , Thielen becomes a little more expendable, though it's probably best to wait and see since McMillan is a total unknown. If they swing a trade for George Pickens or Garrett Wilson, which they've been linked to, then Thielen is absolutely expendable. Those two are established players who would be an upgrade over Thielen in both age and production, thus making it a smarter move to get something for the veteran who can, for now, clearly still play.
