Not since 2019 has Carolina gotten a 500-yard receiving season from a tight end, and the drought is long enough now that the conversation has turned from disappointment to roster-building speculation. The last Panthers tight end to clear that mark is Greg Olsen, who is already deep into his post-playing career as a multi-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster. (Props, Greg.)
That kind of gap naturally sends fans hunting for fixes, but the Panthers haven’t exactly been aggressive at the position under general manager Dan Morgan. Their biggest moves have been limited to re-signing Tommy Tremble and spending Day 3 picks on Ja'Tavion Sanders in 2024 and Mitchell Evans in 2025.
Still, the fan base wants more, so here’s a look at a few realistic names Carolina could pursue at tight end.
Jonnu Smith looks like the cleanest match. He’s a free agent, and his game fits what Carolina could use: production after the catch.
A massive 68.4-percent of his career receiving yards have come after the catch, and that kind of YAC ability would help Bryce Young. Smith also put together a strong 2024 season in Miami, finishing with 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns.
Darren Waller is another free-agent possibility. He’s no longer the Pro Bowl player he was in 2020, but he showed he can still help as a playmaker for the Miami Dolphins in 2025.
His best game may have actually come against Carolina, when he posted a season-high 78 yards and a touchdown on five receptions at Bank of America Stadium in Week 5. He’ll turn 34 in mid-September.
If Carolina prefers to go the trade route, Sam LaPorta is the splashier name that surfaced in a recent ESPN prediction from Ben Solak, who projected Detroit sending the 2023 second-team All-Pro to Carolina to create cap flexibility. The Lions have already locked up linebacker Jack Campbell on a four-year, $81 million deal, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs could be next. LaPorta also dealt with a back injury that cost him the second half of 2025, which could make Detroit more willing to move him before his value drops.
Michael Mayer is another trade target worth keeping in the mix. There’s been plenty of chatter tying Chicago’s Cole Kmet to Carolina, but the Bears’ recent restructure of Kmet’s deal makes that path less likely.
Mayer, a fellow Notre Dame product, feels more realistic. He hasn’t matched his college production in the NFL, despite finishing with 1,649 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns over his final two seasons with the Fighting Irish.
In Las Vegas, his role may stay limited with Brock Bowers leading the way, though first-year head coach Klint Kubiak could still value Mayer in multi-tight end looks, the same type of setup he used often in Seattle. If the Raiders decide to move on, Carolina could be in position to buy.
In Other News...
Panthers Suddenly Linked To A Tight End Upgrade Bryce Young Needs
The Panthers have spent the offseason trying to make the roster sturdier around Bryce Young, adding help on defense with Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd and giving the future a little more upside with rookies like Monroe Freeling and Chris Brazzell II. The next obvious step is finding more reliable production at tight end, a spot that can make life easier for a young quarterback by cleaning up the middle of the field and giving him another dependable outlet when plays break down.
That is why the idea floating around ESPN caught some attention, even if it is still just that, an idea. Carolina has been linked to a potential move for a high-end tight end who has the kind of track record that would fit what the Panthers need, and Detroit's financial picture only adds to the speculation. Any deal would not be simple, though, because a trade would almost certainly have to come with real draft value and the kind of long-term commitment that turns a rumor into a major roster decision. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Newton Sounds Off After Troubling News About Former NFL Star
Chris Johnsons health news has landed with a jolt across the football world, and it has a lot of former players thinking beyond the diagnosis itself. The former running back carved out a remarkable NFL career from 2008 to 2017, highlighted by six straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons and a reputation as one of the fastest backs of his era, so hearing his name attached to a serious long-term illness naturally carries extra weight in league circles.
On his podcast, Cam Newton focused less on nostalgia and more on what comes next for the NFL and the people who played in it. Newton said he is very intrigued to see how the league responds and what its plan is to make the game safer while better protecting former players, a question that has only grown louder as more ex-NFL players have dealt with ALS. For Carolina fans, it was a reminder that the conversation around footballs toll does not end when a players career does. [Read more 🡒]