Panthers TE Tommy Tremble is distancing himself as the potential solution to one of Carolina’s biggest offseason concerns
The Carolina Panthers were widely expected to add an upgrade at the tight end position this offseason and instead stayed firm in believing what they had currently on the roster. One player is already looking to prove that decision was right.
The Carolina Panthers, since drafting quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, have largely overlooked the tight end position as a primary offensive focal point. It’s something that continued under head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan.
In fact, it’s hard to say the Panthers have had a top tight end since Greg Olsen retired back in 2021. And once again, the position was a major topic of conversation that the team failed to address with a top-level option. In-house, the Panthers simply believe that wasn’t a necessary move to make.
“I’m super confident in the room,” Young told reporters on Tuesday. “Great group of guys that work really hard. The one thing that I think I’ve really seen the growth in – it’s been a stable room – those guys have come in and been really smart. Their willingness to work, we’ve thrown a lot at them over this offseason… they’ve done a great job of playing fast through that. And you’ve seen them take ownership, you see us having a lot more conversations versus.”
The tight ends have undoubtedly heard the noise all offseason and want to prove those naysayers wrong. Young mentioned veteran Ja’Tavion Sanders has been the more vocal leader of the room with Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, and Feleipe Franks working in behind him. One of those players, in particular, caught the eye of head coach Dave Canales on the field during mandatory minicamp this week.
Carolina Panthers HC Dave Canales was impressed by Tommy Tremble during mandatory minicamp
“Tommy has had a great spring,” Canales told reporters on Thursday. “Tommy’s worked through some things physically over the last two seasons. He’s had as healthy of a spring as I’ve seen from him. He looks fast. I know he’s a physical player, but we’re not in pads. So, I know that part will still come alive. I just think, with his familiarity with our system and how to use the tight end position, Tommy’s done just a great job this spring. I really expect to see great things from him.”
Tremble is entering his sixth season with the Panthers, yet he has never topped 250 receiving yards in a season despite playing more than 500 snaps in every year since the team selected him in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The position simply isn’t a focal point in this offense but the Panthers remain confident in what Tremble can add as an athletic pass catcher and what Sanders brings as a veteran player in the run game. That can change when players report back in late July for training camp if Tremble continues turning heads once pads are on.
It’ll certainly be a position to follow and training camp will be a great opportunity to evaluate the progress Tremble, and the other tight ends, have made going into this season.