Latest news with #AdamThielen
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
4 Wide Receivers that Vikings Should Consider
There was always an expectation that Jordan Addison could be suspended. He decided to drink and drive just days after new teammate Khyree Jackson was killed by a drunk driver. After a year of pushing off the legal process, the Minnesota Vikings wide receiver submitted to a lesser charge. His 'wet reckless' designation saved him in the eye of the law, but is prosecuted the same by Roger Goodell. Now without Addison for the first three games of the season, Minnesota should consider alternative options. The list has some intriguing names. Related Headlines MN Twins Experimenting with New Pitching Philosophy Latest MN Vikings Injury Updates Bring Good News for Decimated Offense New Gophers QB Tasked With More Responsibilities at LOS Amari Cooper – 31 years old Arguably the biggest splash on this list, Cooper would be an addition that sticks well beyond the time Addison misses. Last season he split time between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills while making $20 million. He's not that player anymore, but he's just a year removed from a Pro Bowl selection with the Cleveland Browns. Cooper averaged a career-worst 39.1 yards per game and scored just four touchdowns. That said, he may be rejuvenated in an offense that should have plenty of juice. The former fourth overall pick is at the end of his career, but he'd push Jalen Nailor down the depth chart and give new starter J.J. McCarthy another legitimate weapon. The Vikings have cap space, and there are worse ways to use it. Adam Thielen – 34 years old There's no real indication that the Carolina Panthers want to trade veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen. This would be his third season with them after leaving the Vikings. Of course everyone loves a good reunion story. Minnesota would likely need to overpay in terms of draft capital in order to bring back their former hometown hero. A sixth or seventh round pick probably doesn't get it done if the Vikings are the team on the phone. Still, Carolina is not really in a position to compete and stockpiling future assets may be intriguing. Thielen played 10 games last year and scored five touchdowns with 615 receiving yards. His possession and route-running prowess would be a significant addition regardless of the way the rest of the depth chart shakes out. Related: Brandon Powell – 28 years old If Adam Thielen is 'one of us' then Brandon Powell previously has been one of us as well. The Minnesota Vikings brought Powell over after two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. Kevin O'Connell's familiarity with the secondary wideout translated into a niche role, and he continued to show purpose each of the past two seasons. While he operated in the return game, Powell also hauled in 36-of-54 passes thrown his way. Related: He'd be a less-than-exciting option, but could help to supplement Nailor's role as a secondary wideout. Powell has more experience, and could potentially be pushed with a bit more opportunity. Odell Beckham Jr. – 32 years old While he is not the elder statesman of the group, Odell Beckham Jr. feels like he has been around forever. Last season he played in nine games with the Miami Dolphins, and it's clear he is in the twilight of his career. You aren't going to get peak New York Giants superstar anymore, but there may still be a usable talent here that can bring some veteran experience. He's doesn't need to be the distraction he once was, and Beckham Jr. already has familiarity with O'Connell during their shared time in Los Angeles. It would be awesome if he could prop up Nailor and help develop Tai Felton and Silas Bolden. Beckham caught just nine passes last season, but there would be room for him to do that in the first three weeks of the season with Minnesota. Related Headlines MN Twins Experimenting with New Pitching Philosophy Latest MN Vikings Injury Updates Bring Good News for Decimated Offense New Gophers QB Tasked With More Responsibilities at LOS
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Adam Thielen reacts to Chad Johnson's very bold tweet about Panthers' WRs
Do the Carolina Panthers suddenly have the NFL's best receiver trio? Well, one former (and very good) wideout thinks that could be the case. Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson certainly knows a thing or two about catching passes. He did so at the highest level for over a decade—notching seven 1,000-yard campaigns, two first-team All-Pro nods, six Pro Bowl selections and a spot in the Cincinnati Bengals Ring of Honor in the process. And Johnson, who has seemingly become a rather staunch supporter of what's cooking in Carolina, tweeted out an interesting thought regarding the Panthers' triplets on Wednesday . . . Part of that trio, veteran Adam Thielen, was asked about Johnson's post after Friday's walkthrough at training camp. "I did see it. Ocho's my guy," Thielen replied. "We had a nice conversation last year in Vegas before the game. I can't remember exactly who was talkin' about us not being a great group. So I think he might've been in on that. So I think he started to see the game and, obviously, at the end of the year and then, obviously, our additions in that room." The end of the year saw the 34-year-old Thielen reel in 40 receptions for 506 yards and four touchdowns over the team's final seven outings. That 2024 season was also the first for first-round pick Xavier Legette, who did flash at times—even despite an overall underwhelming year. As for the "additions," none were bigger, literally, than the 6-foot-4, 219-pound Tetairoa McMillan. McMillan, a consensus All-American at the University of Arizona, was taken by the Panthers with the eighth overall selection of the 2025 draft. So if Ocho is onto something (and quarterback Bryce Young continues to hum), then the Panthers may have themselves a great group after article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Adam Thielen reacts to Chad Johnson's bold tweet about Panthers' WRs
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Carolina Panthers WR Adam Thielen reflects on last season's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
A post shared by Adam Thielen (@athielen19) This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen about his participation in this year's American Century Championship, which will take place July 9-13 at Edgewood Tahoe, and last year pushed both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs to the limit. "I think it's cool because there are probably 15-20 people you know who can win that event (American Century Championship). So it's like looking for similar guys, a similar level of golfer as you. You compete internally," said Thielen about celebrity competition in the tournament. "I think they have the same motivation, like, 'Alright, I know these guys are good, these girls are good, and I want to beat them." So it's not necessarily one person. It's really like a kind of group of people, as you know, are around the same skill level, and you're like, all right, I'm gonna, I'm gonna work a little bit harder this summer, to grind and figure out my game so I can compete against those people." Thielen's Panthers pushed the Chiefs to the limit in Week 12 last season, losing 30-27 on a game-winning field goal from Spencer Shrader. Thielen believes the close losses to Kansas City and Philadelphia, both Super Bowl LIX teams, are moments to build on heading into 2025. "Yeah, I think it gives us confidence going into this year that, hey, you know, we didn't win those games, and at the end of the day, there's no, a loss is a loss, like you're not getting anything out of a loss. But I think it gives you confidence going into this year to say, hey, we were right there." said Thielen, "The pieces that we've added, the leadership roles that have been replaced, and people just strong leaders have been brought into the facility, and then paired with just the players that we've added and free agency, the players that we've added and in the draft, I feel like. There was a really precise and thought-out plan this year, and so that, I think, gives us confidence that we were right there. We added pieces. We brought in great leadership. Let's see what happens." The annual tournament awards $750,000 in prize money, much of which the celebrity players donate to local and national charities. Over the years, nearly $8 million has been donated to non-profit causes. Network television exposure on NBC and a first-place prize of $150,000 make the celebrity tournament one of the most prestigious in the golf world. Check out the website for more information about the American Century Championship.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bryce Young's Fiery Side Emerges at Panthers Minicamp
Bryce Young's Fiery Side Emerges at Panthers Minicamp originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Bryce Young is done being quiet. The typically easy-going quarterback surprised teammates and coaches during the first day of Carolina Panthers' mandatory minicamp Tuesday, when he confronted Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn. Advertisement In a fired-up exchange, Young showed a shift in attitude and maybe in the Panthers' culture. Horn had overheard Young call a play in the huddle and tipped off the defense, down to the routes the receivers were running. Young didn't let it slide. 'Y'all should believe in yourselves,' Young shouted at Horn. The moment lasted more than 10 seconds, according to ESPN's David Newton. It also revealed a side of Young not often seen publicly in his first two NFL seasons. 'He's talking way more this year,' Horn said after practic. 'He's talking trash every day.' The current set of Panthers are far from being a contender on paper, but after seven straight losing seasons, the players believe Young being vocal is a sign of change. Advertisement 'Guys are finally sick of being the same old Carolina Panthers," Adam Thielen said. 'We want to get back to what they did here in the past.' Second-year head coach Dave Canales praised the intensity of his team, especially from Young. 'He just has a defiance to him,' Canales said. 'That's just kind of his way of competing.' Young earned back the starting job after being benched early last season, finishing the year with a five-touchdown performance in a 44–38 win at Atlanta. The Panthers followed that by selecting Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Another weapon to give Young more confidence entering his third season. Related: Steve Smith Sr. alleged cheating scandal takes a shocking turn over "Homewrecker" law Still, Canales said Young isn't coasting. 'Even when I took him out, he stayed in the center of it,' Canales said. 'He continued to lead.' Now, Young enters the 2025 season with a stronger voice and a team ready to follow him. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Panthers WR Adam Thielen gives his early impression of Tetairoa McMillan: 'He's that guy'
Panthers WR Adam Thielen gives his early impression of Tetairoa McMillan: 'He's that guy' Carolina Panthers wideout Adam Thielen seems to believe that his team's latest first-round pick has the goods. Thielen recently spoke about fellow receiver and new teammate Tetairoa McMillan, the eighth overall selection of the 2025 NFL draft. And the 34-year-old veteran, per Kassidy Hill of is already liking what he's seeing from the 22-year-old rookie. "He's a big long receiver that has phenomenal body control and can make contested catches and can play a lot of different spots," Thielen said, "which in this league, in my opinion, to be a great receiver in this league, you have to be able to play in the slot, you have to be able to play outside, you have to be able to run a lot of different routes and make contested catches. "So, from the little I've seen, he's that guy. It only benefits everyone else because if he can move around, I can move around, you know, Jalen Coker can move around, Xavier Legette can move around." McMillan saw plenty of volume at the University of Arizona. The 6-foot-4, 219-pounder, between the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, totaled 174 catches for 2,721 yards and 18 touchdowns. Thielen has also been the go-to weapon for his offense over the last two seasons. Since coming to Carolina in 2023, the two-time Pro Bowler has led the Panthers in targets (199), receptions (151), receiving yards (1,629) and receiving touchdowns (nine). But with Thielen entering the final year of his contract, and perhaps the final year of his NFL career, his time as Carolina's No. 1 pass catcher could be coming to an end. And if it is, then at least he may have a worthy successor to pass that torch to. Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
