5 tight ends the Carolina Panthers could sign in 2022 free agency

Carolina Panthers could target C.J. Uzomah

C.J. Uzomah had an impressive campaign in 2021 after coming off a brutal torn Achilles in 2020 and managed to stay relevant in a Cincinnati Bengals passing game that featured Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, and Ja’Marr Chase.

At 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, Uzomah is an imposing presence who is equally capable in the run game making key blocks in addition to his soft hands. The 2021 season raised his value as a key contributor during the Bengals Super Bowl run, with the tight end providing a nice safety valve for Joe Burrow, even though he got injured at just the wrong time.

The Carolina Panthers’ hope here is the Bengals will need to make some strategic financial decisions on extending their wide receiving corps soon. So they may not want to invest too heavily at the tight end spot and potentially lose out on the ability to re-sign some outstanding playmakers.

Uzomah is recovering from a knee injury sustained in the AFC Championship game. That will be something to watch out for and could hamper his chances of getting a big-money deal depending on the diagnosis.

The Panthers might decide to roll forward with Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble. But based on their previous production, it’s a huge risk and Uzomah represents a real upgrade on both.