Trade Thielen? USA Today Makes Interesting Trade Proposal
It's no secret that the Carolina Panthers are going to be looking to move some pieces at the trade deadline rather than adding.
The season hasn't gone the way Carolina had envisioned and with limited draft capital, the Panthers could ship off some of its top players.
"The Ravens are coming off a game where wide receivers dropping passes cost them a win against a division opponent.
'While that’s not necessarily going to translate into weekly problems, Baltimore might consider adding a veteran receiver at the trade deadline to give quarterback Lamar Jackson another target he could rely on.
"Thielen might not be as explosive as he used to be, but he’s coming off a 107-yard, one-touchdown performance against a good Detroit Lions team. The Panthers are 0-6, and they need to start thinking about what the future of this offense is going to look like. Keeping around a veteran like Thielen doesn’t make much sense in that equation.
"If you’re Baltimore, you call Carolina and offer, say, a young receiver in Rashod Bateman and a low-round pick for Thielen. The Panthers get a young receiver who could use a change of scenery to pair with Young, and Thielen gets to go to a contender that could use his veteran savvy."
Trading Thielen would certainly put a huge dent in Carolina's already thin receiver room but long-term, it makes sense. He's 33 and will start to decline over the next two seasons. That said, I don't think the Panthers want to trade away the one piece Bryce Young has felt comfortable throwing the ball to and secondly, I doubt Rashod Bateman is someone they'd want in return.
If the right package comes along, I could see Scott Fitterer making a move but I believe both Thielen and the Panthers want to stay together.
SI NFL Power Rankings: Panthers Aren't the Worst Team in the League
You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us on X:
Facebook - @PanthersOnSI
X - @AllPanthers_ and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.