The Carolina Panthers are coming off a rough 2023 NFL season where they finished last in the NFC South.
Bryce Young had a dismal rookie year as he was constantly under duress and didn’t have much of a receiving corps to work with in the passing game.
However, Carolina did well to rectify those problems in free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft as they got Young help both in the trenches and in the receiver room.
The Panthers also hired former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales to be their new head coach, a positive sign that Young will have a bounce-back year.
The wide receiver room got a boost when Carolina drafted Xavier Legette, but they also have Adam Thielen to provide some veteran support.
When Thielen was originally released by the Minnesota Vikings, he would’ve been a solid pickup for any team but he revealed that the Kansas City Chiefs were uninterested in his services via Michael Rimmer.
“I tried to go there (Kansas City) but they didn’t want me,” Thielen said.
The Chiefs could’ve definitely used someone like Thielen last season, though it didn’t wind up mattering as they went to win the Super Bowl with a less-than-steller receiving group.
Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL and can make just about anything work on the field, but having someone like Thielen would’ve made life easier.
Regardless, Thielen will now get a chance to help rebuild Carolina’s program and the team is poised to take a step forward once the regular season begins.
