For what seems like the umpteenth year in a row, the Carolina Panthers are once again looking to find a viable No. 1 tight end. It has been an impossible situation since Greg Olsen left the team in 2020, and they are no closer to finding a long-term solution.
The Panthers’ tight end room was once again underwhelming in 2025. Tommy Tremble led the unit with 27 catches for 249 receiving yards and three touchdowns. But the real disappointment was second-year man Ja’Tavion Sanders.
The 2024 fourth-round pick from Texas flashed in his rookie campaign before a neck injury ended his season ahead of time. Much was expected in Year 2, but not much materialised for the player.
Carolina Panthers' offseason approach will be a referendum on Ja'Tavion Sanders
In 13 games, Sanders logged 29 receptions for 190 receiving yards and a solitary touchdown before his season ended early again. This time, it was a broken ankle. For a player solely on the roster to be a receiving threat, this was a disappointing return from the Dallas native. Â
This leaves the Panthers with a decision to make heading into 2026. Tremble is the team's best blocking option, and with his added red-zone threat, he's seemingly safe. The team also has Mitchell Evans, the former Notre Dame player who flashed as a rookie and could see his role expand with further development.
However, Sanders could potentially be on the outside looking in. Â
This is a stacked free agent group, headlined by names like Isaiah Likely, David Njoku, and Cade Otton. If you’re looking for a season to upgrade the position, there will be some intriguing options available.
The Panthers have also been projected to land one of the draft's top tight end prospects. Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq has regularly been linked with Carolina in mock drafts, with many experts predicting he will be a mid-first-round pick.
Sadiq excels as a pure pass catcher and is also a high-effort blocker. If he were selected by Carolina, he would provide quarterback Bryce Young with a much-needed sense of dependability and dynamism over the middle. Â
How Carolina handles the position in the offseason will say a lot about how they value Sanders and how he fits into the team's plans moving forward. Issues with drops remain a frustration. Unless this changes, it's hard to envisage a scenario where confidence in his long-term outlook increases.
If the Panthers add either a premium free agent or a high-round draft pick, it could signal a lack of confidence in Sanders. Despite only entering his third year, he could be fighting for his roster spot come training camp.