It feels like only yesterday when tight end Greg Olsen was the Carolina Panthers' top offensive pass-catcher, making plays all over the field while being Cam Newton's favorite target for much of the 2010s.
In 2018, the team drafted Ian Thomas as the heir apparent and has since swung and missed numerous times, with more uncertainty than ever around the tight end spot this offseason.
This version of the Panthers has slowly dug its way out of mediocrity. Head coach Dave Canales has preached development on a roster that is among the youngest in the NFL. That youth sometimes comes at a cost, and it could lead to a problem that has remained within the organization since Olsen's departure in 2020.
Carolina Panthers' pivotal tight end referendum will begin at OTAs
The tight end group has not had a reliable starter since Olsen, and Canales has shown patience with their development. When the Panthers added a tight end to the roster before OTAs, there was a glimmer of hope that the team would make a move for a veteran on the market.
Instead, it was to announce the signing of undrafted free agent Heinrich Haarberg. Once again, disappointment seeped into fans' minds after spending much of the offseason, the pre-draft process, and the weeks following the NFL Draft, hoping for a legitimate starter.
OTAs could very well prove many critics wrong about the Panthers' tight end room, which features youngsters Ja'Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans, along with sixth-year player Tommy Tremble. All three have an opportunity to separate themselves as the guy for quarterback Bryce Young to lean on with intermediate concepts and seam shots downfield.
However, Carolina could still have a tight end unit after OTAs that will make people uneasy.
It is fair to see the investments already made at the position, as outlined in the draft, begin to take shape. After all, Sanders and Evans do have ceilings that, in theory, could make them reliable players in all key phases at the position.
The Panthers, contrary to popular belief, do seem to have a plan in place and know what they want to do with it when it comes to the tight ends. Even so, I don't blame anyone for being lower in this group in an important upcoming season for Young. Having a quality tight end helps evaluate the quarterback as a long-term option. The former Alabama star has not had this benefit throughout his NFL career to date.
And he might not this time around, either.
Whatever happens during OTAs, Carolina's tight ends have much to prove. Someone has to step up, or general manager Dan Morgan may have to call someone else for help.
Add us as a preferred source on Google