The Panthers’ training camp has taken a few hits already, and the latest one opens the door for a player who has been waiting for more of a role.
Carolina lost 2025 team co-sack leader Nic Scourton to injury, a tough break for a defense that has had a hard time getting after the quarterback in recent years. Then this week came another setback on the offensive side, with rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II suffering a torn LCL in his left knee and needing season-ending surgery.
That injury matters because general manager Dan Morgan had been looking for more juice in the passing game behind 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan and an emerging Jalen Coker. The Panthers still have 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette, but his two seasons have been marked by inconsistency.
Now one of the more interesting names in the mix is tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders. On Thursday afternoon, Panthers writer Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer pointed to Sanders as a possible beneficiary of Brazzell’s absence.
“JT Sanders’ summer becomes a bit bigger for the #Panthers with Chris Brazzell out. Sanders, in theory, could free up the slot, particularly in the red zone in 11 personnel looks because he’s kind of a hybrid body type. He’s gotten off to a bit of a slow start but had a strong day…”
Sanders has yet to become a major factor in the offense, but the numbers show why the Panthers may be ready to lean on him more. The 6-foot-4, 252-pound third-year player, a 2024 fourth-round pick out of Texas, has 62 catches for 532 yards and two touchdowns in 29 regular-season games. His 80.5 reception percentage stands out, though he has only been targeted 77 times.
That limited volume fits the bigger picture. Under Dave Canales, Carolina has not asked much of its tight ends in the passing game.
In 2024, the position drew only 86 targets across 17 regular-season games. Six players, including Sanders and Tommy Tremble, combined for 60 receptions, 595 yards and three touchdowns.
The workload remained spread thin this past season as well. Sanders, Tremble, 2025 fifth-round pick Mitchell Evans and James Mitchell were targeted a combined 99 times in 17 regular-season games, finishing with 678 catches, 638 yards and five touchdowns. In the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Tremble was targeted three times and made three catches for 22 yards.
There is still a long way to go before the regular season, and Carolina will get another chance to sort things out Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game. The Panthers’ opener comes on September 13 in Chicago against the reigning NFC North champion Bears, and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik will now handle play-calling duties after taking over from Canales.
Brazzell’s injury is a setback for a player who had flashed some promise. But the Panthers have spent recent seasons dealing with adversity, and this latest opening may give Sanders a chance to matter in a way he hasn’t quite managed yet.
In Other News...
Luke Kuechly Just Reignited A Debate Panthers Fans Know Too Well
Luke Kuechly is heading to the Pro Football Hall of Fame with a class that includes Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Roger Craig and Adam Vinatieri, a fitting next step for a career that defined the middle of the Panthers defense for years. The rsum is hard to argue with: 1,090 tackles, 18 interceptions, seven Pro Bowls and an AP Defensive Player of the Year award, all piled up before his career was cut short far earlier than anyone around the team would have wanted.
Still, Kuechlys latest spotlight came with a familiar side of frustration for Carolina fans. CBS Sports left him off its list of the 100 greatest NFL players, and he was not the only Panther to get squeezed out. Cam Newton and Julius Peppers were absent as well, a reminder that even when the Hall of Fame catches up to a player, outside rankings can still leave plenty of room for debate. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Quarterback Room
The Panthers took a look at Kyle Trask last week, but for now they have kept their quarterback room intact as they head into the preseason. With Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett and Haynes King already on hand, head coach Dave Canales said the team is balancing injuries and roster considerations while getting ready for its first exhibition game.
Canales comments make the current plan pretty clear: Carolina does not feel a need to add a fourth arm at this point, even after bringing Trask in for a workout. It is the sort of checkpoint that can change quickly in August, but for the moment the Panthers are moving forward with the group they have and keeping the focus on sorting out depth as camp shifts into game week. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Young Just Got Pulled Back Into A Panthers QB Debate
Bryce Youngs place in Carolina has mostly been framed as the long-term answer, but the conversation around the Panthers quarterback future is not as settled as it once looked. Even with the belief that Young is likely to remain the starter beyond his 2027 option year, the teams next move at the position is still being discussed in broader terms, especially as the roster continues to search for stability under center.
One name that cant be ignored in that kind of discussion is Baker Mayfield, whose situation in Tampa Bay has become part of the backdrop for Carolinas own quarterback planning. A reunion would still feel like a long shot, but it remains the sort of speculative lane the Panthers could keep in view if Young regresses and the contract picture around Mayfield eventually lines up in a workable way. [Read more 🡒]