The Carolina Panthers have spent the offseason attacking their roster’s weak spots, and they’ve made real progress on both sides of the ball. Jaelan Phillips was the biggest addition to a pass rush that badly needed help.
Devin Lloyd arrived on a three-year deal to plug the middle of the defense. On offense, Carolina went after the line and the passing game, bringing in Rasheed Walker in free agency, drafting Monroe Freeling with the 19th pick, and adding Chris Brazzell II in the third round.
Even with all that work, one obvious need still hangs over the roster: tight end.
That’s why ESPN’s Ben Solak turned heads with one of his 10 predictions for the 2026 NFL season. Among his ideas was a trade that would send Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta to Carolina, giving the Panthers the kind of top-end tight end they have not had since Greg Olsen. For a team trying to build out its offensive core, that’s the sort of swing that makes sense on paper.
LaPorta just finished a season with career lows in receiving yards and targets, which opens the door to questions about whether a change of scenery could benefit him. It also comes at a time when the Lions are staring at financial decisions that could shape their next few years.
Solak pointed to possible extensions for Jahmyr Gibbs and Bryan Branch, two players he views as central to Detroit’s future. That matters here because, by position value alone, LaPorta may not sit as high on the Lions’ list of priorities as a starting running back or a starting defensive back.
The likely price tag would be around a third-round pick, but the draft compensation is only part of the equation. A deal like this would almost certainly have to come with LaPorta getting the security of a multi-year extension and the kind of salary that matches it.
For Carolina, the appeal is obvious. If the Panthers want to fully open up the offense in 2026, adding a tight end who can give them production in the passing game and help in the run game would be a major step. LaPorta’s numbers last season included career lows in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns, but his talent still towers over what Carolina has at the position.
In Other News...
ESPN Just Took A Clear Side On The Panthers Offseason Debate
ESPNs Seth Walder came away thinking the Panthers have done enough this offseason to move in the right direction, handing Carolina a B grade for its work so far. The roster makeover has included adding pass rusher Jaelan Phillips, linebacker Devin Lloyd and more help up front with veteran linemen Rasheed Walker and Luke Fortner, plus draft picks Monroe Freeling and Sam Hecht, all part of a clear attempt to give this team more size, depth and flexibility.
The debate now shifts to how much of that progress can be felt around Bryce Young, who is still playing on his current deal through 2027 by way of a fifth-year option. Carolina has also locked in Jalen Coker on a three-year, $34 million extension through 2029, but the broader offseason conversation still circles the biggest questions on the defensive side and whether the Panthers have added enough certainty, especially with Lloyd, to make the whole plan hold together. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Face A Big Decision On Their New Pass Rusher
A hypothetical three-team trade has pushed the Panthers back into the conversation around tight end help, with Chicago reportedly eyeing edge rusher Josh Sweat and Arizona looking for draft compensation in a deal that would ripple across the NFC. Sweat, who previously played for the Eagles and turned in a strong season with the Cardinals, has been at the center of trade chatter as teams around the league look for ways to strengthen their pass rush.
For Carolina, the appeal would be obvious in a pass-catching tight end, especially with Tommy Tremble leading Panthers tight ends with just 249 receiving yards last season. The framework would send draft picks to Arizona as part of the package, but the bigger question for the Panthers is whether a move like this could finally give Bryce Young another reliable middle-of-the-field option while the rest of the league keeps circling a Cardinals defender who suddenly looks like he could be at the center of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Face One Defining Trade Call That Could Reshape This Offseason
A possible Carolina offseason pivot has centered on one simple question: whether the Panthers should keep building around their current pass-catching group or use a trade chip to address another part of the offense. The idea on the table would send Xavier Legette out and bring a different piece back into the mix, one that could change how the rest of the depth chart is managed.
The ripple effect is what makes the discussion interesting for Carolina. Any move that adds another established target would force the Panthers to sort out how they use their tight end room, and it could put Tommy Tremble on the bubble as the roster takes shape. For a team still trying to sharpen its identity on offense, it is the kind of call that can quietly define an offseason even before anything becomes official. [Read more 🡒]