The Carolina Panthers need to trim the fat this offseason. They are not in the best financial position ahead of free agency, so general manager Dan Morgan has some tough decisions ahead. Several veterans are in uncertain situations before their eventual fate is determined.
Speculation is rising among the fan base about who the Panthers could deem surplus to requirements to provide more salary-cap flexibility. Some leading names have come to the fore as possible cut candidates. However, one team insider quashed a possible release that has gained momentum in the media.
Tommy Tremble's name has come up in rumors. He's got one more year remaining on his deal, and even though the tight end has steadily increased his influence, the Panthers are well-stocked at the position. It's a definite option, even if it goes away from everything Morgan is trying to build in terms of Carolina's draft and developed ethos.
Carolina Panthers insider doesn't get the sense that Tommy Tremble will be cut
Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer got the sense that Tremble would still be around in 2026. The team reporter highlighted his career highs in catches and receiving yards as reasons for optimism. Couple this with his outstanding blocking capabilities, and cutting him would be on the stranger side of Morgan's decisions to date.
"Cutting [A'Shawn] Robinson ($10.5 million) and [Tommy] Tremble ($6 million) would open up big chunks of cap space and create avenues for younger players like Cam Jackson and Mitchell Evans, respectively, to emerge as replacements. Tremble, though, is a homegrown talent coming off a career year in catches and receiving yards, so it would seem kind of odd to move on from him after signing him to a relatively affordable two-year deal last offseason. The sense here is that he will return."Mike Kaye
This should not stop the Panthers from potentially adding a more prolific pass-catching presence to the tight end room. Buzz is building around Oregon prospect Kenyon Sadiq as a candidate for Carolina's pick at No. 19 overall, though there's no telling for sure at this early stage. But even if additional competition arrives, Tremble's well-rounded skill set could still be useful.
Carolina could dispose of some older veterans and restructure a couple of contracts with franchise cornerstones. That should give Morgan enough freedom to be aggressive, though he has been reluctant to kick the can down the road too much over the last two years. Everything is up in the air, but what cannot be disputed is just how precarious this situation appears.
Morgan will do what he believes is right to take the franchise forward. Whether those plans include Tremble remains to be seen, but it would raise more than a few eyebrows if he were let go.