There was real intrigue around tight end Darren Waller's late arrival to the Carolina Panthers this summer. However, it's also now clear that the veteran will need perhaps longer than expected to get up to speed.
That provides general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales with a real dilemma as the final-cut deadline looms large.
Canales revealed after Waller signed that he showed up in tremendous shape. Just a couple of weeks later, the Panthers opted not to give him valuable playing time during their preseason finale against the Houston Texans.
Darren Waller's status on Carolina Panthers' roster may not be guaranteed
When probed about the decision, Canales didn't believe Waller had accumulated enough practice snaps to warrant consideration at this time. With the Georgia Tech product being a vested veteran who isn't subject to the waiver wire, the Panthers may opt to release him and then immediately bring him back to the practice squad to continue his ramp-up.
Dave Canales said there are a lot of conversations to be had about Darren Waller when asked if he was guaranteed the job. #Panthers
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) August 29, 2026
It's an option. At the same time, there are two weeks remaining until Carolina's regular season opener against the Chicago Bears.
That should be more than enough to get Waller a little sharper, a little fitter, and a lot more familiar with the schematic concepts.
Anything less, and one has to wonder what the point in acquiring him actually was.
Waller has the physical tools to be an upgrade on anything Carolina has from a pass-catching standpoint in the tight end unit. He's not the dominant game-changer of old, and staying healthy was difficult last season with the Miami Dolphins, but he remains a supreme red-zone threat with the size and athleticism to create mismatches.
Carolina Panthers' decision on Darren Waller will have a big ripple effect
What the Panthers decide to do with Waller will also have ripple effects on others.
One would expect the Panthers to take four tight ends through onto the team. Mitchell Evans and Tommy Tremble are seemingly safe. Feleipe Franks is a core special-teams presence, so it would be a big surprise if he didn't make it.
It seems as if Ja'Tavion Sanders would be most at risk, and there are already rumors around the Texas product being shopped for a potential trade.
That's a big call to make. But in all honesty, Sanders hasn't shown enough since being drafted to justify any more faith from the Panthers.
The Panthers clearly believed Waller could provide a different dynamic for quarterback Bryce Young to depend upon. His involvement has been fleeting so far, and that may have changed. But there is now a race against the clock to make sure the Pro Bowler can feature in some capacity when things matter more.
And if the Panthers aren't entirely satisfied, taking more drastic measures couldn't be completely ruled out.
It adds an extra layer of fascination to the coming hours before everything gets confirmed one way or another. But either way, Waller should be on board with the plan.
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