The Carolina Panthers have resisted the temptation to acquire any additions via trade this offseason. Dan Morgan valued his draft picks highly, and he got burned by Diontae Johnson enough to stick to his original strategy this time around.
This is the most sustainable way to build a contender. However, that didn't stop one NFL analyst from imploring Carolina to investigate possible trade options to solve an overlooked need.
Dave Canales' squad is a little light on dependable tight ends. They looked pretty set with three options, but Tommy Tremble's back injury, which required surgery, leaves them dangerously short of dependable pieces.
Tremble is expected to miss most, if not all, of training camp due to the procedure. This leaves the Panthers with second-year pro Ja'Tavion Sanders and rookie Mitchell Evans to pick up the slack. Extra reps will be incredibly valuable for the young duo, but there's no counting on experience if the former third-round pick out of Notre Dame needs extra time to recover.
Carolina Panthers urged to acquire veteran TE insurance policy via trade
This led Matt Holder from The Bleacher Report to a decisive outcome. The analyst thought the Panthers should trade for a veteran tight end as an insurance policy. He also highlighted Sanders' regression after suffering a neck injury last season as another reason for Carolina to hedge its bets.
"The Panthers' current tight ends leave something to be desired. While the hope is Ja'Tavion Sanders grows in year two, he wasn't the same after suffering a neck injury last season, catching just four passes for 40 yards in five games after getting hurt. So, it wouldn't be a bad idea to add someone to the position group as an insurance policy at the least."Matt Holder
Sanders looks lean and hungry to make the No. 1 spot his long-term. Evans has flashed promise, but he's an unknown quantity in the pros. If the Panthers were to make a tight-end trade, it would likely be due to Tremble suffering a setback with his recovery.
Nothing can (or should) be completely dismissed. The Panthers will have contingency plans in place for everything. If they feel like more is needed, Morgan won't hesitate to strike with conviction. That's the method he's adopted successfully so far, and it's something he'll continue if the right opportunities present themselves.
It's a wait-and-see scenario. If Tremble recuperates effectively, the Panthers will stand pat. If not, then Morgan can find alternatives.
It's that simple.