In a breakdown of the league's top tight end groups entering the 2026 season, NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks highlighted how offenses are leaning harder than ever into multiple tight end formations.
Unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers, that trend only shines a brighter light on what remains arguably the weakest position group on their roster.
Brooks ranked the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, and Pittsburgh Steelers as the five best tight end rooms in football heading into 2026. The Panthers, meanwhile, are still searching for answers.
Carolina Panthers need more productivity from the tight end position next season
That does not mean Carolina lacks bodies at the position. The team has invested draft picks into players like Ja'Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans. Tommy Tremble remains a trusted blocker and rotational piece.
Head coach Dave Canales clearly values tight ends. Carolina used 13 personnel on 7.8 percent of offensive snaps last season, the sixth-highest rate in the NFL. The problem is that they still do not have a true difference-maker.
The Rams may have more tight ends than they can realistically feature after adding rookie Max Klare to a room that already includes Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, and Davis Allen. But trading for one of them still seems unlikely.
The Bills are also interesting. Dawson Knox has been productive when healthy, but Buffalo also has Dalton Kincaid firmly entrenched as a major part of the offense. If they eventually decide Knox’s contract no longer makes sense, Carolina could become a logical landing spot.
Then there is Pittsburgh. Pat Freiermuth would instantly become Bryce Young’s most reliable middle-of-the-field target if the Steelers were willing to move him. Pairing the Penn State product with Carolina’s improving offensive line and strong run game could give the offense a completely different feel.
Even the Bears and Raiders present interesting scenarios. Cole Kmet has frequently surfaced in trade speculation because of Chicago’s growing depth, while Michael Mayer could theoretically become expendable behind superstar Brock Bowers.
Of course, Carolina may still prefer patience. The Panthers believe Sanders and Evans have upside, and Canales has repeatedly praised the room's versatility and toughness.
Still, this feels like one of the defining questions of Carolina’s offseason.
If the Panthers truly believe Bryce Young is ready to take another leap in 2026, surrounding him with a more dependable tight end option would make a lot of sense. The league’s best offenses are increasingly built around versatile tight end groups that create easy throws, dominate underneath coverage, and punish defenses in the run game.
That's something the Panthers don't have right now. But there is still time.
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