Man, you gotta be kidding me. Just days into NFL training camp, the Carolina Panthers’ tight ends are already giving their fans heart palpitations. We just saw Tommy Tremble, the team’s No. 1 tight end, let a perfectly placed, high-arching pass from Bryce Young slip right through his fingertips in the end zone during Tuesday’s 7-on-7 drill. And it wasn’t just him: undrafted free agent Chamon Metayer also botched a short screen pass during the 11-on-11 session. This isn’t how you kick off a preseason, folks.
Seven Seasons of Struggle and a Quiet Offseason
Look, this isn’t some new problem for Carolina. The tight end unit has been a black hole for production for almost seven seasons. The last Panther tight end to hit 500 receiving yards? Greg Olson in 2019, following his 2014-16 run of 1,000-plus-yard campaigns. GM Dan Morgan clearly thinks sticking with what they’ve got is the answer, holding off on major offseason moves. What did that get them last year? During their 2025 NFC South title march, tight ends were totally underutilized. The top four guys, Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Mitchell Evans, and James Mitchell, combined for a measly 78 catches. Sanders led that crew with 29 catches for 190 yards and one touchdown. Tremble paced them with 249 yards on 27 catches and two TDs. Evans added 19 catches for 171 yards and two TDs. Mitchell had three catches for 28 yards. That’s not gonna cut it if they want to defend their division title and make the postseason again.
Sanders’ Setback: Praise Followed by a Drop
But there was a glimmer of hope. Coach Dave Canales has been hyping up Ja’Tavion Sanders as a breakout candidate this year. Canales gushed about Sanders’ strides: great shape, worked on his route craft, attacking the ball, even making “really amazing contested catches” in camp. Sounds like a guy ready for a big step, right? Then Tuesday hit. After taking the second turn in positional drills, the Panthers dropped their first preseason depth chart: Sanders is down to third string! Tremble is still number one, Evans jumped to second, then Sanders. Talk about a gut punch after all that praise! And to add insult to injury, he’s dealing with an ankle issue, listed as questionable for Thursday night’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the Arizona Cardinals. Canales already said Tremble won’t even suit up, but “J-T, we’ll see how the a…”
So, with the Hall of Fame Game kicking off the exhibition season and the starting tight end sitting out, it’s a huge test for this unit, especially with Sanders’ ankle making things even shakier. Bryce Young absolutely *needs* these guys to make plays if Carolina wants any shot at defending their division title and getting back to the postseason. The coaching staff is counting on them to make “the ones that are there for us to make,” trusting they’ll “make them the next time.” That “next time” starts now. Let’s see if they can put these drops behind them and actually step up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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