The Facts: Thielen's locked in on a three-year deal with the Panthers, and he's excited to move his wife and three young children to the Carolinas. He brought his family to Bank of America Stadium the day he signed his contract, and his kids' energy showed they felt right at home. The Thielens haven't ventured out of Minnesota before, but they're set on making the most of the next chapter. And he said they'd plan on sticking around here for a while. "I wanted to be part of a team that was moving (in) the direction of winning a championship, and I could feel that when I walked in this building," Thielen said. "I wanted to go somewhere late in my career to end my career, and be a part of it for the long haul. And to end my career in one more spot, not bounce around."

Diehards Line: The 32-year-old veteran wide receiver spent the first 10 years of his professional career with the Vikings before jumping to Carolina. Having played in 135 career games, Thielen put up 6,682 yards and 55 touchdowns on 534 career receptions as a Viking. He caught 70 passes for 716 yards and six touchdowns last season, proving his productivity even as Minnesota featured 2022 Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson. Thielen is already set to stand out at Carolina as the most experienced player in the receiver room – and by a stretch. The only other Panther wideout with more than three seasons logged in the NFL is fellow free agent acquisition D.J. Chark (heading into his sixth season), so Thielen's decade in the league is an outlier. It's beneficial for Reich and the Panthers' offensive hive mind as they look to stockpile weapons for their rookie QB. And Thielen's ready to be a target for the first overall pick in this year's draft. Reich said he'd hoped to give Thielen a detailed projection of his role in the offense so he could "envision" himself here. He said they dove into formations, shifts, motions, and the route tree. It appeared as if everyone liked what they heard.