Carolina’s tight ends are still trying to change the same story.
On Tuesday at training camp behind Bank of America Stadium, the Panthers got a reminder of how fragile that room has been. Bryce Young dropped a perfect high throw into the back of the end zone, Tommy Tremble got free, and the ball slipped right through his hands. Later, undrafted rookie Chamon Metayer let a short screen pass get away from him in the final 11-on-11 period.
Those missed chances fit a bigger pattern. Tight end production has been thin in Carolina for most of the last seven seasons, and Greg Olsen’s run of three straight 1,000-yard years from 2014-16 still stands out as the standard. He remains the last tight end in the group to top 500 receiving yards in a season, doing it in 2019.
After practice, coach Dave Canales didn’t dress it up. The issue, as he sees it, comes down to execution.
"play to play.
"Let's just make the ones that are there for us to make. That's what we're counting on. We know we can make those plays and we trust the guys to make them the next time."
General manager Dan Morgan kept the room intact through the offseason, passing on major additions in free agency and the draft. That means Carolina is leaning on the same four tight ends that were part of the run to the 2025 NFC South title: Tremble, Ja'Tavion Sanders, Mitchell Evans and James Mitchell.
The production from that group was modest. Together, they totaled 78 catches.
Sanders led the way with 29 receptions, but he turned them into just 190 yards and one touchdown. Tremble finished with 27 catches for 249 yards and two scores.
Evans added 19 catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns, while Mitchell had three grabs for 28 yards.
If the Panthers are going to defend the division and get back to the postseason, Young will likely need more from that position. The tight ends will need to be part of the answer.
Canales, though, pointed to Sanders as a player who has taken a step in camp and could be a breakout candidate in '26.
"Love the strides he's taken," Canales said. "Showed up in great shape.
Really looked like he's worked on his route craft, attacking the ball. He has made some really amazing contested catches this camp.
"Exactly what we hope from him."
Even so, Sanders found himself behind Tremble on Tuesday during positional work, and he entered Thursday night’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, listed third on the Panthers’ first preseason depth chart. With the starters not expected to play in the opener against the Arizona Cardinals, Tremble will sit out and Sanders remains questionable because of an ankle issue.
The depth chart released Tuesday listed Tremble first, Evans second, Sanders third, Mitchell fourth, Feleipe Franks fifth and Caden Prieskorn and Metayer tied for sixth.
"Tommy will not play." Canales said.
"J-T, we'll see how the ankle is. (We were) looking to try to get him out there, but we'll see if he's going to be available."
And if Carolina’s tight ends are going to matter more this season, that availability - and the catches that follow it - will have to show up soon.
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