Adam Thielen fitting right in with Carolina Panthers, according to team insider

After trading D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears in exchange for the No. 1 pick, the Carolina Panthers turned to the free agent market to add a veteran presence to their young wide receiver room. Former Minnesota Vikings star Adam Thielen came in as the “elder statesman” of the group, and a team insider said he’s already making an impact during preseason.

Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340-AM joined The Pat McAfee Show and raved about Thielen’s ability to win over the locker room so quickly. He came in as a WR1 in the Panthers’ latest depth chart and, at 32 years old, is one of the oldest players on the roster.

That has helped him develop a rapport with his fellow receivers, and Quick said that’s evident in practice.

“Adam Thielen is doing exactly what he was brought here to do,” Quick said. “He’s leading by example in the locker room and on the field. Everybody loves him. You can catch him at any point in practice joking around with the other receivers, but still holding them accountable, as well. Someone doesn’t have quite as much of a good play as they would have wanted? They go over there, Adam is coaching them up.

“I think he was like the perfect vet presence in that wide receiver locker room, which is a little bit crowded right now. Of course, it’s gonna thin out over the next couple of weeks.”

Thielen spent the first nine years of his career with the Vikings, making two Pro Bowls and earning second team All-Pro honors in 2017. Last season, he totaled 716 yards and six touchdowns as Justin Jefferson became the focal point of the Vikings offense.

Carolina signed Thielen to a three-year contract in March before drafting Bryce Young with the top pick in the NFL Draft. In addition to his leadership in the wide receiver room, he’ll also give Young an experienced target to start his career.

The Panthers listed Thielen, D.J. Chark and rookie Jonathan Mingo as their top wide receivers on their initial depth chart. However, one of their WR2s — Terrace Marshall Jr. — left practice on a cart on Monday.

Coach Frank Reich didn’t sound too concerned, though. He said Marshall “tweaked” his back, which bodes well for Carolina.

The Panthers have two more preseason games left, starting with a Friday matchup against the New York Giants. They will kick off the regular season Sept. 10 against the Atlanta Falcons.