Former 18-touchdown rival tight end linked to Panthers in free agency

The Carolina Panthers have just one tight end under contract right now: Ja'Tavion Sanders. For one thing, they can't roll into 2025 without any semblance of a backup, and for another, Sanders' rookie season didn't exactly foretell of a future superstar at the position.

While other needs, namely the entire defense, are more pressing, tight end is absolutely something GM Dan Morgan is going to have circled. There are rumblings of a Tommy Tremble re-signing, but Panthers insider Joe Person of The Athletic believes Morgan may splurge and go after a former heated rival.

Juwan Johnson has been with the New Orleans Saints since 2020, and he's put up 18 touchdowns in 67 games since then. At 28, he's hitting free agency and could be a nice addition to a Panthers offense that needs pass-catchers.

Person said, "Similarly, don’t expect Morgan to dip into the pricey end of a weak tight end class. In fact, Morgan hasn’t ruled out re-signing Tommy Tremble." There aren't a lot of tight ends out there, and Johnson is one of the best. He's The Athletic's number 14 free agent, so he could be someone the Panthers spend a lot on.

The alternative is to draft someone or re-sign Tommy Tremble. Aside from maybe adding Tyler Warren with the eighth pick, signing Johnson might be the most high-end addition to the tight end room that's possible this year.

The Panthers don't have a ton of cap space, but tight ends not named Travis Kelce generally don't cost all that much. Johnson will cost more than bringing Tremble back, but neither player will really break Dan Morgan's bank.

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