4 things the Panthers need to improve following Week 6 loss
By Dean Jones
Get some production from the tight end spot
If truth be told, the Carolina Panthers might be past the point of no return with their current tight end options. This is an area of the field that has become increasingly important in the passing game across the league in recent years. But the loss of prolific veteran Greg Olsen is being felt in no uncertain terms so far this season.
This was once again evident against the Bears. Ian Thomas and Chris Manhertz gained one catch apiece and were targeted very little in Joe Brady’s scheme, who clearly doesn’t trust the pair to deliver the goods when it matters most.
In all honesty, he might just have a point.
One only has to look at the dismal effort Thomas put in on a third-down catch that left the Panthers narrowly short of the marker. The former Indiana standout seemed to shirk contact from the opposing cornerback to almost slide akin to what we normally see from a quarterback, rather than putting his shoulder down and getting the one-yard needed to move the chains.
This was completely unacceptable and will only decrease his opportunities going forward. It would be prudent for the Panthers to explore other avenues and allow Brady to call some tight end sets that became a trademark of his success at LSU.