Carolina Panthers: Embracing the new age of leadership
By Alex Duran
Who could it be?
Well, let’s look at who’s on the roster right now:
The first in the pecking order is the twenty-seven-year-old Chris Manhertz who has a legitimate chance to start in the absence of “Mr. Reliable”. He already started a few games in Olsen’s absence. Now entering his fifth year with the team and with one year left on his contract he might break out for that extension. It’s also worth noting that the team appreciates his blocking ability, so that will help make his case.
Then there is twenty-three-year-old Ian Thomas who will be entering his third year with the Panthers, and with the lead job up for grabs he might actually get a reasonable amount of reps with the first team offense. It’s worth noting that he set a franchise record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end.
Lastly there is the twenty-six-year-old Temarrick Hemmingway who has been on and off of rosters since the beginning of his career. He’s a long shot, but if the Panthers have him on a reserve contract then they might give him serious consideration.