Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen has been out since injuring his hamstring in Week 3. The veteran wideout seemed to be nearing a return but remains on injured reserve (IR).
What’s the latest on Thielen’s injury status, and will he return after the team’s Week 11 bye?
What Is Adam Thielen’s Injury?
During the Panthers’ Week 3 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, Thielen caught a 31-yard touchdown from Andy Dalton with 28 seconds remaining in the second half. He immediately appeared to be in pain while his Panthers teammates started signaling for medical attention. Thielen left the field with a limp and was ruled out shortly after.
DIME TIME from El Rifle Rojo pic.twitter.com/XNzO3e5gwr
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 22, 2024
The Panthers decided to put Thielen on IR. On Oct. 23, the team designated his return by opening his 21-day practice window.
Thielen signed a three-year, $25 million deal with the Panthers last offseason then posted a 103-1,014-4 line in his first season in the NFC South. It was his first 1,000-yard receiving season since 2018, the year of his last Pro Bowl berth with the Minnesota Vikings.
After playing in all 17 games each of the past two seasons, Thielen has missed a career-high seven games this year. In three games, he recorded eight receptions for 109 yards and one touchdown.
When Will Thielen Return From Injury?
Thielen had a promising ramp-up at first. He logged a practice pattern of limited-limited DNP before both Weeks 8 and 9, which appeared to be part of Carolina’s load management plan for the 34-year-old.
Before the team’s Week 10 game against the New York Giants in Germany, head coach Dave Canales went so far as to say that he expected Thielen’s return to come in Frankfurt, Germany.
Canales believes all three will play next week in Germany. https://t.co/bRrSRbSMz1
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) November 1, 2024
However, Thielen’s practice participation regressed instead, as he was a DNP for all three practices leading up to Week 10. There was no report of a potential setback, but he was nonetheless ruled out in the final injury report.
Carolina has a bye in Week 11, but they must activate Thielen during the week if they want him to return in 2024. It’s possible the Panthers were simply buying the veteran an extra week of rest to give him two full months off.
How Has Thielen’s Absence Impacted the Carolina Panthers?
Right now it’s difficult to say what Carolina’s pecking order would be in the receiver room. Their leading receiver for the season is Diontae Johnson, who was traded before Week 9. Since then, no player has more than four receptions or 87 receiving yards in a game.
Rookie Jalen Coker came on strong, scoring his first career touchdown in the team’s Week 9 loss to the Denver Broncos. Coker played over half the snaps from Weeks 5-8 only to regress to 44% in Week 9 at the expense of journeyman vet David Moore.
SEE MORE: NFL Injury Report
Thielen would likely be the top target based on his 2023 track record with Bryce Young. Last season, Thielen led the Panthers with 103 catches for 1,014 yards. With Young seemingly remaining the starting quarterback after his September benching, that history with Thielen would bode well for the receiver’s production.
The Panthers’ 11-personnel sets moving forward will likely include Thielen, Coker, and Legette, with the veteran occupying an every-down presence if he returns. There may be limited snaps at first given his extended absence, but Thielen could be a quietly reliable option once the fantasy football playoffs arrive.