37 minutes ago
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The Carolina Panthers have a plethora of tight ends this year. What began as a huge, gaping hole on the roster has slowly morphed into something else. It's still arguably a weakness, but the Panthers have thrown five bodies at the problem this season.
They each provide something different. Feleipe Franks is a special teamer, but he showcased some YAC ability in preseason. Tommy Tremble is a top-notch blocker. Mitchell Evans is not far behind him there. Darren Waller is almost a big slot receiver.
And then there's Ja'Tavion Sanders. The third-year tight end has yet to really make an impact at the NFL level. He showed promise as a receiver, but he just hasn't put it together yet. He might not in Carolina.
Sanders now has an unfortunate truth to live out; he is pretty blocked from playing time. He won't get in on blocking reps, and he's not going to take over the receiving reps from Waller. He's not going to play all that much.
It might be better to trade him and try to recoup a draft pick for the trouble.
Panthers could trade Ja'Tavion Sanders to three NFL teams
Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'tavion Sanders (0) runs after the catch | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Panthers should probably move on from Ja'Tavion Sanders. Each of the other four tight ends has a pretty defined role and a path to playing time. Sanders does not, and he seems unlikely to jump anyone for the snaps.
Fortunately, there are at least three teams who could really use tight end help and could unlock Sanders' potential. The Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and Miami Dolphins make the most sense for a trade.
The Ravens have Mark Andrews, but he's older and on the slow decline. The backup options aren't great, either. Taking a flyer on a player like Sanders makes sense because if anyone can get him going, it's Lamar Jackson.
The Bengals have Mike Gesicki, but he's not exactly the most elite tight end. The backup options there aren't notable, either, so Sanders could easily slot in as another potential weapon for Joe Burrow. It wouldn't hurt to try.
The Dolphins simply need receiving options. Their tight end depth chart is:
- Greg Dulcich
- Will Kacmarek
- Seydou Traore
- Justin Joly
They also have Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, and Caleb Douglas at wide receiver, so they are hurting for pass-catchers. They would likely be happy taking a flyer on Sanders and giving Malik Willis another option.
Carolina Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders (0) walks on the field while holding his helmet | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In all these scenarios, the Panthers would get a sixth or seventh-round pick at best. Sanders was a fourth-round pick and he's shown very little. The Panthers would be happy to get much of anything for him, though.
Other trade partners could include the Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, and Washington Commanders.
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