The Carolina Panthers are rolling into the season with an absolutely stacked tight end room, listing five different guys on their depth chart, and honestly, the rest of the league might not be ready for the offensive wrinkles that are coming. Head Coach Dave Canales is definitely finding room and roles for all of them, which is a bold move to kick off the NFL opener this Sunday.
Tommy Tremble Leads The Way, But The Group Needs To Eat
Tommy Tremble is still the main man in that crowded room, holding the No. 1 spot on the Week 1 depth chart. Last season, he put up career bests with 27 catches and 249 yards, which is decent, but for him to truly be a top target for quarterback Bryce Young, he’s gotta blow past his 112 catches in 78 career outings. Because let’s be real, this position group needs to produce more. Since the 2020 season started, their tight ends have combined for a measly 319 receptions, which is the fewest in the entire league over that stretch. It’s been a long six seasons since Greg Olsen last hit that 500-yard mark, so it’s clear why Canales and Offensive Coordinator Brad Idzik are trying something different to defend their NFC South title.
Canales’ Five-Headed Monster: Every Guy Brings Something Different
Idzik, the new playcaller, is expected to really open up the playbook with Canales’ run-first offense, pushing more stretch plays designed to feature this entire five-man tight end room. It’s not just Tremble carrying the load either. Sophomore Mitchell Evans is listed second, then you’ve got veteran Darren Waller, the athletic Ja’Tavion Sanders, and special teams ace Feleipe Franks. Tremble himself said after practice on September 1, “Each guy brings something different to the table. It’s really good when you have a lot of people that can do a lot of different things.” Canales broke down his vision, saying Evans is “big, wide, can body up with OLBs and defensive ends.” He added that Tremble “has versatility, is physical in the run game, fast enough to stretch the field and make things happen.” Sanders “kind of does a little bit of all of it,” able to play in the slot and contribute on special teams. Franks is “one of the really premier special teams players in the league,” and his growth as a pass-catcher is “really intriguing.” And then there’s Waller, a former Pro Bowler who twice eclipsed 1,000 yards. Canales knows “what he looks like on film,” and the “element he can bring,” even after signing late in training camp and coming out of retirement. Waller is listed as TE3.
So, who’s gonna shine? The big question heading into Sunday’s NFL opener against the visiting Chicago Bears is how Canales juggles these five weapons. Can Tremble hold off Waller for that top spot? For the Panthers to actually defend that NFC South title, this tight end room has to turn those intriguing ideas into serious production on the field. It’s gonna be must-watch football to see if this wild strategy pays off from day one at Bank of America Stadium!
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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