Carolina Panthers' top trade candidate is blatantly obvious to everyone

The Carolina Panthers are knocking on the door of contention in the NFC, and while they aren't quite there yet, they may be just two years away from genuinely making a push.

That doesn't mean everyone on their current roster is coming along for the ride, though.

The Panthers did a great job of rebuilding their defense this offseason, and they also added some offensive pieces that could result in somewhat of a crunch.

More specifically, Carolina suddenly has a glut at the wide receiver position after selecting both Tetairoa McMillan and Jimmy Horn Jr. in the NFL draft, both of whom figure to have prominent roles in the Panthers' future. Yes, that includes Horn, who was a sixth-round pick.

With fellow young receivers Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker already in tow, that can only mean one thing: Adam Thielen may be on his way out.

Yes, Thielen is a very reliable option, and Bryce Young has become very comfortable with him. But assuming Young continues his ascension in 2025, he may no longer have a need for a security blanket. After all, Thielen — who is 34 years old — is not going to be around much longer.

Meanwhile, the rest of Carolina's receiving corps is all in its early 20s and has an opportunity to grow with Young moving forward.

That makes Thielen a very obvious trade candidate between now and the midseason deadline. The Panthers probably won't be moving Thielen now. It's too soon for that. But let's say Carolina falls out of playoff contention midway through next fall. Thielen then becomes a very viable trade asset, as contenders in need of another pass-catcher would certainly express interest.

We'll see what happens, but it would not be surprising if Thielen does not finish the 2025 campaign with the Panthers.