Six years ago, the Carolina Panthers had one of their most impactful draft classes during one of the franchise's most difficult times.
Former general manager Scott Fitterer was in his first offseason in his new role, with a chance to either add a quarterback of the future or attack a need at cornerback. Jaycee Horn was picked at No. 8 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and has remained one of the team's top players since.
However, to Fitterer's credit, he nailed three consecutive selections in this rookie class. Third-round offensive lineman Brady Christensen, tight end Tommy Tremble, and fourth-round running back Chuba Hubbard have made numerous starts and noteworthy impacts for the franchise.
Tommy Tremble faces a lasting challenge with the Carolina Panthers
Yet, it is Tremble under the spotlight here, entering his sixth season in the NFL and has yet to have a campaign of over 249 receiving yards.
It has been a combination of missed opportunities, inconsistencies, health, or the lack of said opportunities. Frankly, it has been frustrating to watch the former Notre Dame tight end.
Why is it frustrating?
The flashes are exciting. He's a great athlete with a strong physical profile at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds. Tremble will hurdle aggressive, lunging tacklers in space and sometimes split defenders to create yards after the catch. He remains productive in the red zone with 11 career touchdowns, and has made clutch plays throughout his career.
Plus, Tremble is an elite blocker in the trenches, helping either Taylor Moton or whoever is at left tackle create rushing lanes for the running backs at the line of scrimmage and into the second and third levels. He has been the definition of "Keep Pounding."
Despite all of that, for one reason or another, Tremble has yet to put together a great season.
The ceiling is high to be a great player in the NFL — Tremble is only 26 years old this season. However, he remains a polarizing figure in the current Panthers regime, led by head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan.
It's fair to not have trust in the Panthers' tight end room, and I'm one of those people. What have Tremble and the young players of Mitchell Evans and Ja'Tavion Sanders shown at the next level, and is it enough to warrant that trust? I'm unsure heading into the summer, and that's why the trust seems fragile at this time.
You could argue that Canales doesn't like using his tight ends, but I would counter that they haven't been consistent enough to warrant frequent use.
Of the trio of tight ends expected to make some impact in Carolina's passing and run games, Tremble still offers the highest ceiling because we don't know how he would handle a significant workload if all else fails.
This is Tremble's last chance to put up productive numbers. He doesn't have to be a 600-yard receiver with elite blocking grades; he can be a 350- to 400-yard guy who is reliable in the red zone and gives you value as a blocker in the run game. If he can't get over 300 yards this year, he should walk in free agency.
That's a harsh reality. It is up to Tremble to put it all together, and the Panthers to give him the right chances for success once and for all.
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