3 intriguing offseason Carolina Panthers position battles in 2024
Heading into the offseason, the outlook on the Carolina Panthers was fairly bleak. The team had just missed the playoffs for the sixth season in a row, fired its second head coach in as many seasons, and let go of a general manager that helped drive the franchise into misery.
Enter Dave Canales and Dan Morgan.
The duo has given fans hope and breathed new life into a franchise in limbo by making smart decisions. The moves made by Morgan and Canales prove that they are not only focused on quarterback Bryce Young's development, but they are also confident that he is the signal-caller for the future and can lead this organization to greatness.
With some of the selections made during the 2024 NFL Draft, it's clear that fixing an abysmal offense is one of the goals for this team. Let's take a look at some position battles that fans should keep their eye on.
Carolina Panthers TE dynamic
- Ja'Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, and Ian Thomas.
Ian Thomas is included because the Carolina Panthers have not had a true depth chart when it comes to the tight end position, and he has seemingly entered every post-Greg Olsen season as TE1. That will without a doubt change in 2024 with the budding talent of Tommy Tremble and the addition of Ja'Tavion Sanders.
Sanders was widely regarded as one of the best tight-end prospects in this draft. His ability as a reliable pass catcher will give Carolina a much-needed boost at the position.
Tremble has been promising in recent seasons. Unfortunately for the Notre Dame product, the Panthers haven't had much need for effective tight-end play under the previous two regimes. The former third-round pick is an athletic player who has shown flashes in both the passing game and as a blocker. Expect him to take the bulk of the snaps this season, especially considering that most rookie tight ends typically take some time to develop.
Thomas has yet to break out in his six-year career. Many fans were hoping he would be the player that would step up in the absence of Olsen, but the former Indiana Hoosier hasn't quite panned out as expected and even saw his snap count diminish last season with the emergence of Tremble.
The veteran may have some value as a blocker. But as a receiving option, he hasn't been effective since his rookie campaign where he posted career highs in yardage, catches, and touchdowns. Thomas hasn't recorded a touchdown since 2020, which speaks volumes.