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The Carolina Panthers have a very exciting 2023 NFL season waiting for them after completely revamping the roster this offseason. Drafting Bryce Young with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft was the most glaring addition to their roster, and it came with the cost of a massive trade package to the Chicago Bears that included star wide receiver DJ Moore. Besides drafting Young, the Panthers did damage in NFL free agency on the offensive side of the ball, as they will have new starters at every position for Bryce Young. The Panthers went out and signed Miles Sanders to be the starting running back, while they also added wide receivers DJ Chark and Adam Thielen. To close out the skill positions, the Panthers also signed tight end Hayden Hurst. Young will now start his NFL career surrounded by veteran talent, and one player in particular will be the make or break guy for the Panthers 2023 NFL season: Adam Thielen.
At 32-years-old, Adam Thielen will be the veteran skill guy on the Panthers offense. Both Miles Sanders and DJ Chark are 26-years-old, while Hayden Hurst is 29-years-old. Besides the new guys, players like 23-year-old Terrace Marshall Jr and 24-year-old Laviska Shenault Jr will be returning to Carolina at the wideout position, while 24-year-old Chuba Hubbard is ready to back up Sanders in the backfield. Thielen is the resident old guy on the Panthers offense that is being led by a rookie quarterback, making him the bona fide leader. Of course, Young will most likely take his natural place as the leader of this offense being the quarterback. With that being said, the presence that Adam Thielen brings will make him the Panthers make or break player for the 2023 NFL season.
*Depth Chart via ESPN
Adam Thielen
Expecting the Panthers to be one of the better teams in the NFL wouldn't be the most likely of opinions across the NFL. Despite the additions across the offense, as well as new head coach Frank Reich running the show, the Panthers will still be trotting out a rookie quarterback. Bryce Young has all the intangibles that could make him a really good quarterback, but no one comes into the NFL immediately a flawless quarterback. Young will have the ups-and-downs that come with transitioning from playing QB in college to playing QB in the NFL, and it would be no surprise to see the Panthers struggle at times. However, the presence of Adam Thielen could do wonders in helping Bryce Young and the Panthers find success.
Out of the backfield, Miles Sanders was a very interesting addition by the Panthers that won't be nearly as important as Thielen. Sanders had the best year of his career last season with the Philadelphia Eagles, although he was playing with the best rushing attack in the NFL. It is unlikely that the Panthers will be able to run the ball as effectively, and Sanders didn't show last year that he could put up strong numbers regardless of his system. Sanders might be strong alongside Young in the backfield, but it is unlikely that he takes as much pressure off of Young as if he was playing within the Eagles system.
Like Miles Sanders, guys like DJ Chark and Hayden Hurst were strong additions by the Panthers that are still not quite the game-breakers that could take a lot of the pressure off of Young. Neither guy is a slouch by any means, but both haven't posted numbers in their career so far that inspires the confidence that they could change the game plan of a defense. Again, Young will definitely appreciate having veteran talent to throw to and depend on, but the responsibility will fall on his shoulders most of the season. Nonetheless, Adam Thielen is also a guy that doesn't project to be a superstar any given Sunday. Still, he is the primary veteran presence that could be the reason Young plays comfortable football and leads the Panthers to some success.
During his time with the Minnesota Vikings, Adam Thielen established himself as one of the most consistent wide receivers in football. He became the safety blanket for Kirk Cousins, always being able to be counted on to run crisp, consistent routes and catch the ball. This is the exact type of receiver that a young rookie like Young will thrive with, as there is no doubt that the speed and size of the NFL game will be daunting to start the season. The adjustment period will be aided big time by having someone as dependable as Adam Thielen, and could really be the reason Young has a strong rookie season. As NFL training camp progresses, Adam Thielen will establish that he is the make or break player for the Panthers in the 2023 season.
