In a decision that drew mixed fan reactions, the Carolina Panthers traded Adam Thielen back to his hometown Minnesota Vikings before the 2025 NFL regular season. Fast forward to Week 13, Thielen was a healthy inactive and then granted his release from Minnesota the day after the team was shut out 26-0 against the Seattle Seahawks.

With Thielen now on the waiver wire and possibly facing free agency if left unclaimed, the central question emerges: Should the Panthers bring Thielen back to aid their playoff push, or does his return undermine the progress and cohesion already established?

Should Carolina Reunite with Adam Thielen?

In his two seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Thielen produced 151 receptions, 1,629 yards, and nine touchdowns in 27 games. He was Bryce Young’s go-to receiver for the quarterback’s first two professional seasons, presenting him with a reliable target and making plays when they needed to be made. Thielen received a B grade and ranked No. 12 in PFSN’s WRi metric in 2024.

Most of Thielen’s production (103 catches, 1,017 yards, four TDs) came in Young’s rookie season, a year when Thielen played all 17 games, and Carolina lacked other pass-catching talent. The following season, a hamstring injury sidelined Thielen for seven games, and the offense evolved with new support and a different scheme.

That doesn’t mean that Thielen wasn’t still a preferred option for Young, however. After returning in Week 12 of the 2024 season, Thielen averaged 5.7 catches on 7.1 targets and 72.3 yards per game. He also scored four of his five touchdowns for the season during those weeks — with three scores compiled during the two games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whom the Panthers will face in two of the next four games to finish the current season… for whatever that’s worth.

Carolina traded Thielen for a late-round draft pick swap with conditions based on his activation and playing time in Minnesota. The Panthers did not feature Thielen in the preseason. They drafted Tetairoa McMillan eighth overall, pairing him with 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette, and saw Jalen Coker emerge after filling in for an injured Thielen.

Brycen Tremayne has earned a key role on offense and special teams. Sixth-round pick Jimmy Horn Jr. is used selectively but offers a quickness that adds unique options to the playbook.

What Has Thielen Accomplished Lately?

It’s true and a fair point of support to say that Bryce Young had a great rapport and trust with Thielen. However, I’m reminded of a quote from the HBO series ‘The Wire’ where one of my favorite characters, Slim Charles, expresses, “The thing about the old days is, they’re the old days.”

After Minnesota made the intentional move of swapping the more valuable draft assets in the trade for Thielen, he’s only played 185 offensive snaps this season. He hasn’t been on the field for more than 14 reps since Week 3. His stat line for the season is eight receptions (on 18 targets) for 69 yards and zero touchdowns.

Per PFF, Thielen’s 27.3% drop rate (three drops despite just 16 targets), .56 yards per route run, and 1.3 yards after catch per reception, are career worsts. While these stats might be flawed, he’s still 35 years old and hasn’t produced anything meaningful on a football field since last season.

Thielen Reaping What He Sowed

In a statement after the Vikings announced his release, Thielen stated, “Since this last Spring, I knew this was going to be my last season playing in the National Football League. Given that, the Vikings allowed me to go compete elsewhere for the last few weeks of my career.”

When Thielen left Carolina, the story was that he simply wanted to finish his career in Minnesota, his home, and where he played the majority of his professional career. His family was eager to return to their stomping grounds.

It was a kind and endearing story of sentiment, one that Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan leveraged to his team’s benefit with draft capital.

But Thielen also wanted to chase wins and believed his chances were stronger in Minnesota with head coach Kevin O’Connell, sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and the Vikings’ respected defense.

On paper, this decision had logic: The Vikings had finished 14-3 the previous season with Sam Darnold at quarterback. In contrast, the Panthers remained in rebuilding mode and had not found the same level of success or stability.

The Panthers, meanwhile, are 7-6 going into their Week 14 bye. That 7-6 mark is better than either of Carolina’s final records while Thielen was in the process blue. Not that he was a hindrance; there were myriads of downfalls for the past two Panthers’ teams, but the players who have been in that locker room are the reason they’ve reached this point.

How can the team justify taking opportunities away from the players who have fought to restore the franchise this season, just to bring back a player who chose to leave in search of better chances elsewhere? Does prioritizing a returning veteran truly serve the team’s best interests right now?

The Panthers are a developmental team committed to building with young talent under the guidance of Dave Canales and his staff. Disrupting the growth of McMillan, Legette, Coker, Horn Jr., and Tremayne, especially with the team winning, could erode hard-earned progress. Is it worth sacrificing established momentum for a short-term reunion?

Legette draws the ire of the fan base fairly often, but his contributions and impact as a blocker in the run game are underappreciated. If the argument is to give Thielen some of Legette’s snaps, in theory, I think that would be detrimental to the overall structure of the offense.

Not to mention, Thielen is obviously looking for a ring. He wants a shot at hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Carolina is fighting for their playoff hopes right now. I’m not sure Thielen will see this Panthers’ team as his best opportunity to ride to the top of the mountain, even if the actual Carolina Panthers still believe in their team.

Derrick Brown said after the Week 13 victory, “This is the most selfless team I’ve been a part of.” The synergy in the locker room is real, and this team has collectively fought through adversity, relying on their internal belief in one another. He added, “If you weren’t rocking with us at 1-3, I don’t really care what you’ve got to say at this point.”

Thielen wasn’t, in fact, rocking with these Carolina Panthers when they were 1-3 or at any other point this season.