Panthers fans may be chasing the wrong NFC North tight end despite a more obvious trade target staring right at them
Carolina Panthers fans have been begging the front office to make a move for a veteran tight end for years now and the most obvious option might be the one fans are overlooking the most.
Carolina Panthers fans have been calling for general manager Dan Morgan to make a move for a veteran tight end all offseason long and so far the Panthers have been bullish about the options currently in the building.
Instead of going after Isaiah Likely or David Njoku in free agency or an option like Kenyon Sadiq in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Panthers remain committed to seeing things through with Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders, and Mitchell Evans.
Panthers fans have every right to be upset about that process. This team hasn’t had a dominant tight end since Greg Olsen retired and having a big target over the middle would be huge for quarterback Bryce Young. Fans are still holding out hope that the Panthers can swing a last minute move to upgrade the position and the most obvious target is staring the team right in the face.
ESPN predicts the Carolina Panthers will make a move for Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta
The tight end I’ve seen the fans mention the most for the Panthers to go after has been Chicago Bears veteran Cole Kmet. After Chicago drafted Colston Loveland and Sam Roush, it’s easy to see that Kmet’s days are numbered with the Bears, but his recent contract extension rules out Chicago moving on until 2027.
The NFC North tight end Panthers fans should really be interested in is Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta. LaPorta is younger, more talented, and actually a realistic trade option for Carolina compared to Kmet.
ESPN’s Ben Solak sees the vision too and boldly predicted that the Panthers will trade for LaPorta in 2026.
“I landed on the Panthers, who have a deep tight end room but no difference-making pass catcher in the group. They could easily flip one of their young tight ends back to Detroit and carve out targets for LaPorta. Coach Dave Canales loves to get his tight ends YAC opportunities near the line of scrimmage, which fits LaPorta’s style. And because the Panthers’ starting receivers are big-bodied blockers (Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker), LaPorta can hide in the running game.”
Ben Solak
ESPN
The Detroit Lions are approaching a tough crossroads with Sam LaPorta
Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes had a stellar draft class in the 2023 NFL Draft and now is understanding the struggles that come with hitting on multiple draft picks. You can’t pay everyone. The Lions have already landed a long-term deal with linebacker Jack Campbell and are close to finalizing a massive contract with running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
After that, the negotiations turn to safety Brian Branch and LaPorta. Solak believes that the Lions won’t be able to pay one of those two and the logic says to pay Branch over LaPorta considering LaPorta is the fourth option on the offense anyways.
That logic makes sense and other teams should be calling to gauge Detroit’s interest in flipping LaPorta. Dan Morgan should be the first one on the line with Brad Holmes.
It’s a fascinating thought and something the Panthers should consider if they’re not content with the tight end room throughout training camp.