Panthers reach deal with wide receiver Adam Thielen

The Carolina Panthers have reached a deal with wide receiver Adam Thielen, the team announced Sunday.

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.

The Minnesota native, who played collegiately at Minnesota State Mankato, ranked third on the Vikings' all-time receiving list with 534 catches -- trailing only Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Randy Moss. 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.

Thielen, who turns 33 in August, had 70 catches for 716 yards and six touchdowns last season. His role, however, started to diminish down the stretch, as he ranked fourth in targets behind younger receivers Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and K.J. Osborn over the final five games.

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. The receiver told ESPN in February that he hoped to retire as a Viking, but also that he wanted "my opportunity to show that I can play at a high level."

Overall, Thielen, whom the Vikings called "a selfless teammate," has 6,682 receiving yards and 55 touchdowns over his career. His best season came in 2018, when he had 113 catches for 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns. He was the team's Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for 2022.

"He is the best representation of what the Minnesota Vikings stand for," general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said.

ESPN's David Newton and Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.