Wide receiver Adam Thielen grew up in Minnesota and went to college in Minnesota before spending the last 10 years with the Vikings, so his move to the Panthers this offseason represents a big change in scenery.
That could be daunting for some people, but Thielen said he’s taking a different approach to his new surroundings. Thielen has been working with his new teammates for a few weeks, including Tuesday’s start to the team’s voluntary minicamp, and he said that it’s been reinvigorating to take on the challenges that come with joining a new team.
“It feels like a whole different world for me,” Thielen said, via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. “Super exciting — kind of a breath of fresh air — I’ve got to go prove myself, again. . . . I’ve got to meet a lot of people and prove that I’m the player that I am to everybody in this building. So, it’s definitely a different experience for me, but, like I said, it’s kind of keeping me young, keeping me fresh and excited.”
Thielen has not made a Pro Bowl since 2018 and posted the lowest yards per reception of his career last season, but the Panthers clearly think he’ll be a valuable target for the quarterback they’re expected to take with the first overall pick in this year’s draft. That pick will be made on Thursday, so Thielen will be starting to work on that relationship soon.
