Three Carolina Panthers rookies who stepped up in 2018

Ian Thomas

When you’re this low on a list like this, you know the list is stacked. Tight end Ian Thomas had a tremendous breakout season in 2018 and the rookie out of Indiana proved to the Panthers that they may have found their tight end for the future years.

Thomas finished the season catching 36 passes for 333 yards and 50 touchdowns. It was not until Greg Olsen got hurt that he really had the opportunity to play. When he did, he made an impact. In his first extensive game action following the injury to Olsen, he caught nine passes for 77 yards. Following a quiet Monday night football contest against the Saints, he would finish the last two weeks of the season with a touchdown catch. He really began to find his groove, and his touchdown reception from the arm of Kyle Allen was just icing on the cake.

Per statistics from Pro Football Focus, Thomas recorded his best receiving rating free-Olsen injury. With a 71.8 mark, he gave everyone a sneak peek of things to come. On the season, his best rating came via pass block opportunity. He finished with a 76.9 Mike and proved to be multi-faceted in that respect. He can catch, he is a great target in the red zone, and he can also be effective in the running game making lanes for the backs.

Thomas really showed what he can do in 2018, and as result I look for him to prove that he can be even better in 2019. The Carolina Panthers may have found their next starting tight end, and he is quite the talented replacement.