Source: Thielen lands in Carolina on 3-year deal

Key Facts

11:43 PM UTC David NewtonESPN Staff Writer Close Covered Panthers, NFL for 11 years More than 25 years experience covering NFL, college football and NASCAR Joined ESPN in 2006 CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Adam Thielen will help fill the void of a veteran wide receiver the Carolina Panthers lost when they included DJ Moore in a trade with the Chicago Bears for the first pick of the NFL draft.
Thielen was released by the Minnesota Vikings after 10 seasons, designated as a pre-June 1 cut so the team could avoid his salary cap hit for 2023.
He joined the Vikings in 2013 after making the team at a rookie tryout camp, working his way up from the practice squad to a special teams role to becoming a two-time Pro Bowl selection as a star receiver.
The Vikings made it clear in conversations this offseason that Thielen, who was slated to make $19.97 million in 2023, would have a lessened role in addition to a pay cut if he restructured his deal to remain with the team.