The Carolina Panthers are headed into the 2025 opener with two major questions hanging over them. Adam Thielen, their most reliable receiver, is gone after a trade back to the Minnesota Vikings. And left tackle Ikem “Ickey” Ekwonu is fresh off an emergency appendectomy that puts his Week 1 availability in doubt. For Bryce Young, that means the season starts with an immediate test.
Finding a New Go-To Receiver
The question now is who replaces Thielen’s production. In his two seasons with Carolina, he caught 151 passes for 1,629 yards and 10 touchdowns, all while serving as Young’s safety blanket. Without him, the Panthers are turning to youth and versatility.
Jalen Coker has emerged as the most natural fit in the slot. Last year, Coker’s slot usage spiked whenever Thielen was out. Second-year receiver Xavier Legette and No. 8 pick Tetairoa McMillan are expected to star outside, with rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. adding speed as a developmental option.
Special teams value also mattered. Brycen Tremayne earned his way onto the roster with standout play in camp and established credibility with the coaching staff. David Moore, another steady presence, remains a trusted veteran. Dalevon Campbell rounds out the group, giving the Panthers seven receivers. That depth left no room for former Pro Bowl receiver Hunter Renfrow, who flashed early in camp but faded with a hamstring injury.
On paper, the Panthers are younger and faster at receiver. In reality, they are less proven, especially in critical situations where Thielen’s consistency showed up most. But that’s the bet Carolina general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales are making in their young draft picks.
The Thielen Trade
On Wednesday, the Vikings acquired Thielen, a 2026 conditional seventh-rounder and a 2027 fifth-round pick from Carolina. The seventh-round pick will become a sixth-round pick if Thielen plays fewer than 10 games or is not on the roster for 14 games. In return, the Panthers received a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-rounder.
For Carolina, the deal was about value and flexibility. The Panthers cleared roughly $7 million in cap space, which they can roll into next year. They also improved their draft inventory at the top of Day 3 in back-to-back seasons. Minnesota, meanwhile, takes on the entirety of Thielen’s base salary, giving Carolina financial breathing room.
Ekwonu’s Appendectomy
Ekwonu’s sudden appendectomy delivered another jolt, as if losing Thielen wasn’t enough of a shakeup. The 2022 first-round pick underwent surgery Sunday night and is listed as day-to-day leading up to the opener. Appendectomies vary in recovery time — some players return to play in just over a week, while others require several weeks to regain full strength.
Head coach Dave Canales has stated that the team is planning for Ekwonu to be ready, while also preparing contingency plans. With the Jacksonville Jaguars’ pass rush looming, protecting Young’s blindside is the most important job on the roster.
The State of the Offensive Line
Carolina’s offensive line is strong on paper. Right guard Robert Hunt is a Pro Bowler. Left guard Damien Lewis is a steady veteran who graded among the league’s leaders last season. Taylor Moton remains one of the NFL’s most consistent right tackles, outside of a brief injury stretch. Together with Ekwonu, that’s a formidable starting group.
But the depth is about to be tested. Lewis is battling a shoulder injury, which means the entire left side could be compromised in Week 1. Brady Christensen is the six-man swing piece, capable of starting anywhere inside or outside. Yosh Nijman, brought over from Green Bay, has 25 starts at left tackle and the length and experience to fill in. Chandler Zavala and Cade Mays round out the group, both with starting experience of their own.
This is not an inexperienced unit. It’s one of the deepest Carolina has fielded in years. But depth is only useful until it’s asked to replace stars. If Ekwonu can’t go, or if Lewis’s shoulder lingers, Carolina will be leaning on patchwork solutions against a dangerous Week 1 opponent.
Bryce Young’s Response
That brings it all back to Bryce Young. His top receiver is gone. His franchise left tackle is questionable. His left guard is banged up. And yet he has publicly voiced nothing but confidence in his teammates.
That’s the right message, but the challenge is real. Young will need to elevate a young receiver group while trusting linemen who aren’t Ekwonu to protect his blindside. He will need to show poise if the pocket collapses and command in the huddle when things go sideways.
This is why Carolina drafted him first overall. Not just for his arm, but for the leadership required to weather the trials and tribulations of pro football.
The Panthers’ front office is balancing the present with the future. Trading Thielen gave them cap space and draft picks, but took away a security blanket. Preparing for life without Ekwonu, even temporarily, tests the depth of their offensive line investments over the past two years.
For Young, it all arrives at once. He begins his third season stripped of both his most trusted weapon and perhaps without his most crucial blocker. The message from the front office is clear: we believe in you.
If Ekwonu heals quickly and the new receiver group grows fast, this storm will pass within weeks. If not, the Panthers may struggle to find consistency on offense, and scrutiny will likely fall on the decision to rely so heavily on youth and depth.
The opener against Jacksonville won’t just be about the score. It will be a snapshot of how Carolina handles chaos — and whether Young is ready to carry a franchise through it.
