Panthers next step in developing Bryce Young is keeping his favorite target happy

The Carolina Panthers drafted quarterback Bryce Young number one overall in 2023. In an attempt to give him weapons to work with, Carolina also signed star receiver Adam Thielen. Dividends did not pay right away but the connection these two have built over the last two seasons is giving the Panthers something to build on for their future.

Young was benched after just two weeks into the season but when the opportunity came for him to take back over the starting role, he made the most of it. Heading into the last week of the season, Young has thrown for 2,152 yards to go along with 12 touchdowns. He has thrown nine interceptions this season but the majority of those came in the early weeks.

Now that Young is becoming more and more comfortable in the National Football League, there is only one thing left to do: retain his favorite target.

Panthers must retain Adam Thielen for Bryce Young's sake

Adam Thielen is now in his 10th season in the NFL but has showed no signs of slowing down. It is inevitable that father time will strike and Thielen will eventually have to hang it up but the Panthers need to make sure he ends his career in Charlotte.

When Thielen signed with the Panthers, he claimed that it was because he felt it was his best chance to win a Super Bowl considering the future plans the organization revealed to him. While that has been far from reality so far, it appears maybe those plans are just taking a little longer to develop and unfold.

Thielen has been Carolina's top target through the air this season, hauling in 43 receptions for 571 yards and five touchdowns. The Panthers cannot afford to lose this type of production once Thielen becomes a free agent in 2026.

With a record of 4-12 (likely to end 4-13), the Panthers will have the opportunity to add even more weapons around Thielen via the NFL Draft in April. Thielen's experience will bode well with young receivers who have shown flashes of their high potential like Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. Mix all of those with the production running back Chuba Hubbard has provided and, all of a sudden, the Panthers offense is extremely dangerous.

Regardless of the cost, David Tepper and the Panthers should be willing to make sure that Adam Thielen stays with the Panthers until he decides to retire to ensure the development of Bryce Young goes exactly the way the franchise was hoping for when they drafted him.