Possible TE solution appears in wake of Ja'Tavion Sanders injury

The Panthers could make a trade to help out.

Sep 14, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers are going to be without Ja'Tavion Sanders for a few weeks. The tight end suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday in the victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Those can be pesky, and he might miss more than a month.

The Panthers do have two backups they can turn to: Mitchell Evans and Tommy Tremble. And Sanders wasn't a game-breaking talent, which means there is still a need at the position. A solution might've just popped up on the trade market, though.

Panthers could trade for David Njoku amid Ja'Tavion Sanders injury

Sep 14, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) reaches for the ball during the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns have been bad, and they appear to have their tight end of the future with Harold Fannin Jr. That makes David Njoku expendable, and he'd be the type of high-end TE that the Carolina Panthers have lacked since Greg Olsen's departure.

The Browns are 1-2, the same record as the Panthers, but the outlook in Carolina is sunnier. They have a quarterback and are in a weak division in the weaker conference. The AFC is loaded, so trades out of Cleveland are more likely.

Bleacher Report insider Kristopher Knox said, "If the losses continue to mount, however, the Browns may cash in the impending 2026 free agent. Rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. appears ready to replace Njoku over the long-term, and Njoku would likely bring the Browns a premium trade package."

Getting draft compensation would be nice for the Browns who still need to find an answer at quarterback. Moving on from Njoku could be a way to achieve that goal in the 2026 draft with a third-round pick, which is something the Panthers can afford.

Njoku is going to hit free agency after this season, so he's not a long-term investment. But the Panthers suddenly have a bit of confidence and could get into the NFC South race in the next few weeks. Adding Njoku would help that and help Bryce Young's development.

Teams can never have too many weapons for their QBs, but the Panthers don't have very many. Tetairoa McMillan is about it in the passing game, especially with Ja'Tavion Sanders out for the time being.

The Panthers haven't gotten enough out of Xavier Legette or the other tight ends, and Hunter Renfrow has been sporadically useful. To bolster the pass-catching unit, a trade for Njoku would go a long way. It'll cost, but it might be worth it.