Sep 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receivers Adam Thielen (19) and Diontae Johnson (5) before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Panthers rule out WRs Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen

Bryce Young will be minus two top targets when he gets back under center for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

On Friday, receivers Diontae Johnson (rib) and Adam Thielen (hamstring) were ruled out for the Week 8 game at Denver.

Quarterback Andy Dalton, who started the past five games after replacing Young, is listed as doubtful against the Broncos due to a sprained right thumb sustained in a car accident on Tuesday.

Johnson, 28, leads the Panthers (1-6) in receptions (30), targets (58), receiving yards (357) and receiving touchdowns (three).

Thielen, 34, will miss his fifth straight game. The two-time Pro Bowl selection has eight catches for 109 yards and one TD.

Young’s available wide receivers against the Broncos (4-3) include rookies Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker along with David Moore and Jonathan Mingo.

–Field Level Media

Jan 8, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) celebrates his touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers sign former Vikings WR Adam Thielen

The Carolina Panthers signed free agent wide receiver Adam Thielen on Sunday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 32-year-old veteran had spent his first nine NFL seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, his home-state team where he signed as an undrafted free agent before the 2014 campaign.

Thielen became a two-time Pro Bowler and has career totals of 534 receptions for 6,682 yards and 55 touchdowns (plus one rushing touchdown) in 135 games (101 starts). Only Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Randy Moss caught more passes in a Vikings uniform than Thielen.

In 2022, Thielen started all 17 games and finished with 70 catches, 716 yards and six TDs.

The Vikings released Thielen March 10 in a cost-cutting move. He signed a four-year, $64 million extension in April 2019, and the sides agreed to restructure the deal in 2021 and 2022. Minnesota saved $6.4 million against the 2023 salary cap while taking a dead-cap hit of $13.6 million.

The Panthers needed to add an experienced receiver after trading their former No. 1 wideout, DJ Moore, to the Chicago Bears this month in the deal for the No. 1 overall draft pick of the 2023 draft.

–Field Level Media