The Carolina Panthers are set to face a significant setback as they prepare to place veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen on injured reserve. Thielen, who recently caught a touchdown in the Panthers’ Week 3 victory, has suffered a hamstring injury that will sideline him for an extended period.
According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, this decision will allow Thielen time to recover before the midpoint of the season. However, hamstring injuries can often be tricky and may not guarantee a quick return when he is eligible.
Thielen’s injury is described as fairly significant by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The Panthers have experienced issues with hamstring injuries in the past, such as when cornerback Jaycee Horn missed 10 games last season due to a similar ailment, severely impacting the team’s performance during that time.
As a result, Thielen will be out at least until Week 8. The 34-year-old wideout was signed to a three-year, $25 million deal after being released by the Minnesota Vikings in 2023, and he quickly became a key player for the Panthers.
Last season, Thielen led Carolina with 1,014 receiving yards, a significant contribution considering the team’s overall offensive struggles. The Panthers have since revamped their receiving corps, adding Diontae Johnson via trade and selecting Xavier Legette in the first round of the draft.
With Thielen out, Johnson, who recently posted a career-high 122 receiving yards, will need to step up alongside Legette and second-year player Jonathan Mingo to fill the gap left by Thielen’s absence.
Thielen’s injury occurred during a diving touchdown catch from quarterback Andy Dalton, who has taken over as the team’s starter. This marks Thielen’s first missed game since the 2021 season, when he sat out four contests due to injury.
The veteran receiver has three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt, leading to extensions with the Vikings and his current contract with the Panthers. At 34, he is the oldest active wide receiver in the NFL, raising questions about his future beyond this season, especially with his salary becoming non-guaranteed.
Despite concerns about age and contract status, Thielen’s reliability as a possession target will be missed by the Panthers. As the team adjusts to life without him, all eyes will be on the younger receivers to see how they perform under increased expectations.