The Carolina Panthers’ tight end room has a clear problem, and it starts with production in the passing game. Tommy Tremble, Ja'Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans give the team some value as blockers, but as a group they do not offer much juice as receivers.
That is why Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton sees Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson as a possible fix. In Moton’s trade idea, Carolina would send a mid-round pick to the Rams for Parkinson, giving Bryce Young another target to work with.
"The Panthers don't have a high-end playmaker at tight end," Moton said. "Ja'Tavion Sanders and Tommy Tremble are both mediocre at best in the passing game. In order to aid quarterback Bryce Young's development, Carolina can target a pass-catching tight end on the trade market."
Moton’s logic is tied to the Rams’ depth at the position. Los Angeles has Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson and second-round rookie Max Klare in the mix, and Parkinson is entering the final year of his contract. That combination could make him available.
Parkinson also has a strong recent season on his résumé. In 2025, he set career highs with 408 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Those numbers would top anything the Panthers’ current tight ends have done in their careers.
Sanders, for example, finished his rookie year in 2024 with 66 fewer yards than Parkinson produced last season. And Parkinson would be the only Panthers tight end to reach 300 receiving yards twice in his career.
There is still some reason to think Parkinson could have more to offer than what he has shown in Los Angeles. The Rams have had plenty of pass-catching options during his two seasons there, and he spent his time with the Seattle Seahawks in similarly crowded groups.
Even so, Parkinson would not be a massive swing for Carolina. He is not the kind of elite tight end Moton described, but he would still be a meaningful upgrade over what the Panthers have now, enough to make a trade worth considering.
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