What are some of the options available to the Carolina Panthers if tight end Ian Thomas was forced to miss time through injury?
The Carolina Panthers placed a significant amount of faith in Ian Thomas this offseason. The tight end will get the keys to the kingdom after they decided to part ways with experienced veteran Greg Olsen in free agency. This might have been in keeping with their strong will to go younger. But it piles the pressure on the new No. 1 to fill the enormous void left by the Pro Bowler.
Thomas has plenty of strong physical attributes at his disposal. His athleticism and size should make him a nightmare to go down the field. But the former Indiana standout will need to cut out silly mistakes that cost him during his sophomore campaign.
This might come with more time in the lineup. But there does not appear to be any real depth behind Thomas thanks to the Panthers’ lack of desire to bring in any notable help during free agency or the 2020 NFL Draft.
He suffered an injury scare in training camp recently that thankfully is anything more than a hyperextended toe. Thomas should be ready to go for Carolina’s Week 1 opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. But it is a situation the organization needs to monitor closely.
Here are four options that the Panthers might contemplate going with if the 2018 fourth-round pick needs to miss time at any stage of the season.
Chris Manhertz
The most obvious option for the Carolina Panthers if Ian Thomas missed a considerable period of the 2020 season is Chris Manhertz. The veteran has been seen more as a blocking tight end during his career. But it is clear he has been working incredibly hard during training camp to improve his pass-catching prowess.
Manhertz was often seen spending extra time after practice getting extra work in with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. This is sure to stand him in good stead as he looks to make a bigger impact next time around and there does seem to be an opening for the player to see some prominent game time despite Thomas being the undisputed No. 1 option.
The former Canisius standout has never caught more than two balls in any season. This is something to consider if the Panthers are forced to use him as their primary tight end option in 2020 in the event Thomas is on the sidelines through injury. But getting more targets might be just what he needs to take his game to different heights.
Manhertz has been making all the right noises at camp. He has put the time in to improve elements of his game that need work on. This will have gone down well with the coaching staff and it might be something that goes in his favor next season.
Charles Clay
If Ian Thomas sat out a significant period through injury then it would force the Carolina Panthers to bring in a veteran in free agency. This is something that they did not opt to go with this spring as they looked to give their new No. 1 option a big vote of confidence. But given the relative unreliability of other individuals on the roster from a pass-catching perspective, this would be the smart way to go in this scenario.
One intriguing player who remains on the lookout for a new home is Charles Clay. He has been a prolific presence during his career and appears to still have something left in the tank if his efforts with the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 are any indication.
Clay is a more dependable catcher than anything behind Thomas on the Panthers’ depth chart. The player has a career catch success rate of 65.9 percent on his way to stats that include 357 receptions, 3.868 receiving yards, 28 touchdowns, and a yards-per-reception average of 10.8.
This production would be a big boost if the Panthers lost Thomas. Clay is experienced enough to come in a slot into the system right away and this move might even be made if the former fourth-round pick fails to reach expectations in the early stages of the campaign.
Temarrick Hemingway
One of the more surprising performers at training camp has been Temarrick Hemingway. The Carolina Panthers gave the tight end another chance to impress under a new coaching staff and it is a challenge he has clearly taken on with extreme determination.
Hemingway has really caught the eye during team drills with some hugely impressive catches and blocking assignments. The Carolina Panthers might put him on their 53-roster such is the impact he has made, and this would represent a significant achievement for the player after years of frustration trying to get on a team.
There is a lot to like about the sort of skills that Hemingway brings to the table. His assured hands and ability to create separation have been the standout features of his overall contribution at camp.
If Ian Thomas was unfortunate enough to end up on the injury report at any stage. It might be worth throwing Hemingway into the lineup to see just how he gets on in a competitive setting.
If he does not do much, so what? This season is practically an experiment for the Panthers during the first year of their rebuild. And they will at least know for sure that Hemingway cannot be relied upon to produce the goods when it matters most.
Lance Kendricks
Another reliable weapon that has proven his worth in the NFL is Lance Kendricks. Should Ian Thomas go down for the Carolina Panthers in 2020, then the free-agent should be high on the shortlist of possible replacements.
Kendricks has excelled over the middle during his career. Even though his form was on a downward curve in 2019, there is nothing to suggest he cannot become a plug and play short-term option to keep some of the pressure off Carolina’s dynamic offensive weapons in Thomas’ absence.
The player has a career catch percentage of 61.9 percent, which is solid production from Kendricks over a nine-year span. He was used more of a rotational tight end with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019. But if the Panthers want to more about him then all they have to do is seek the opinions of newly recruited offensive linemen Russell Okung and Michael Schofield.
The former sixth-round pick has career stats of 244 receptions, 2,555 receiving yards, 19 touchdowns, and 125 first downs. Kendricks’ best years might be behind him. But the Panthers could ill-afford to be picky if this potential eventuality played out.
This would be a low risk, high reward pick-up for the Panthers during a campaign that could literally go either way for the organization. Having another veteran in the locker room wouldn’t hurt given the number of departures across the board this offseason.