Carolina Panthers fans were somewhat surprised to see general manager Dan Morgan take five tight ends through to the 53-man roster. But as always, the front-office leader might be thinking two steps ahead.
A new report from Joe Person of The Athletic all but confirmed this belief.
The Panthers insider revealed that Morgan had trade conversations with other teams around a potential move for Ja'Tavion Sanders. Nothing materialized from these talks before the final cuts, but Person believes this subject could be revisited if another franchise deals with injuries or underperformance at the start of the campaign.
Carolina Panthers had Ja'Tavion Sanders trade discussions before final cuts
And if there is even a remote chance of the Panthers getting something back for Sanders, then Morgan is absolutely correct to keep him around.
"The Panthers had trade talks involving Ja’Tavion Sanders before Sunday’s roster cuts, according to a league source who wasn’t authorized to discuss the discussions. Maybe a team that’s light at tight end or sustains an injury at the position calls general manager Dan Morgan about Sanders, a fourth-round pick from Texas in 2024."
There are other concerns, of course.
Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans are no sure things. James Mitchell is a depth piece and nothing more. High-profile signing Darren Waller is being brought along gradually, so just how involved he'll be early in the campaign remains to be seen.
Sanders, based on the available options and the trade rumors, seems to be the odd man out. That could change if he's involved right out of the gate and performs. But for now, the Panthers may have deemed the No. 101 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft surplus to requirements.
Dan Morgan was right to keep Ja'Tavion Sanders around amid trade interest
And if this scenario becomes reality, Sanders will become the latest draft pick in recent years to get the chop.
The Panthers gave up on 2024 third-round linebacker Trevin Wallace, who was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets. Interior offensive lineman Chandler Zavala was also cut but made his way back onto the practice squad.
Morgan and head coach Dave Canales run a draft-and-develop program, and it's seen the Panthers progress from also-rans to NFC South champions in just two seasons. Unfortunately, their patience only goes so far.
And if things don't improve before the trade deadline, Sanders will be the next to go.
Things haven't gone according to plan for Sanders. He came into the league with promise, and his rookie flashes had many projecting a genuine breakout in Year 2. That fell flat, and the growth clearly hasn't been satisfactory enough this summer, either.
If it had been, the Panthers would have had no need to sign Waller.
It's a fluid situation. But from Morgan's perspective, the most important thing is keeping all options on the table.
Waiving Sanders during final cuts would have changed all that.
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