Carolina Panthers: Three players with most to prove in 2019

Ian Thomas

It might seem a little strange to put him on this list, because he was so successful toward the tail end of last year. However, I want to see Ian Thomas build on the success he had. Once Greg Olsen went down with an injury in December, the Carolina Panthers turned to Thomas to stabilize the tight end position. He did very well, and gave the organization a potential glimpse of the future at the position.

According to statistics from Pro football Focus, Thomas was best when he was blocking on passing plays. He recorded a 76.9 rating on the year. He is viewed as the Carolina Panthers tight end of the future and he certainly has the potential to fill that role. He caught 36 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns. He proved to be a target that could eat up yardage, as he averaged 9.3 yards per reception. In the team’s final regular season games against Atlanta and New Orleans, he recorded a touchdown in each of those contests. He certainly was able to accumulate good momentum to end the year.

He has a ton to prove coming into the 2019 season. Although he was successful last year, I want to see him be able to sustain it over the course of 16 games. It’s a lot to ask of him to be able to show that he can be depended on not only for now but in the future. However, the Carolina Panthers need Thomas to be able to show that he is their definite tight end of the future. He showed glimpses of it with his play last year, now he needs to sustain it.