Despite being the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the rookie campaign for Bryce Young was a rather difficult one. The Panthers only went 2-15 last season, and Young completed less than 60% of his passes (59.8%) for 2,877 yards and 11 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
However, Thielen was a reliable safety valve for the young Alabama product.
GIVEMESPORT Key Stat: Out of Young’s 315 completions in 2023, 103 went to Thielen for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. His 25.7 percent target share was also 12th in the league, ahead of guys like Ja’Marr Chase and Keenan Allen.
Plus, as a mentor, Thielen could also be a leader to the young Panthers receiving core.
| Carolina Panthers 2024 WR Depth | |
|---|---|
| No. 1 | Adam Thielen |
| No. 2 | Diontae Johnson (acquired via trade) |
| No. 3 | Xavier Leggette (first-round draft pick) |
| No. 4 | Terrace Marshall Jr./Jonathan Mingo? |
Sure, the Diontae Johnson acquisition is a nice help, and Xavier Leggette as a first-round pick will certainly relieve some of the pressure on Thielen and Young, but after those three, it’s a toss-up to see who will be the No. 4 wideout on the depth chart.
But, hey, there’s still plenty of time in the off-season for that to be figured out. Now, as he prepares to embark on his sophomore season in the NFL, Bryce Young appears to bring a brighter future for the Panthers thanks, in part, to a massive chip on his shoulder after that awful rookie year.
And if he and Adam Thielen can prove to be a dynamic duo once again, the Panthers could very well surprise some people around the league in 2024.
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