Panthers Linked to Former Pro Bowl Tight End in Free Agency Amid Positional Concern

If there's one position we'd like to see the Carolina Panthers improve at before the season starts, it's at tight end.

The Panthers entered the offseason with a need at the position, but they have not address it and barring a change, it appears Carolina will stick with the status quo.

Tommy Tremble, Ja'Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans are slated to occupy the top-three spots on the depth chart. The problem is that Tremble and Evans don't offer much as pass-catchers, and while Sanders showed some promise in his rookie season, he's hardly established as a true difference-maker.

Making it more important that the Panthers add an established pass-catcher at the position is the fact that Carolina's receivers room is weak outside of Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker and that's not great news for Bryce Young, whose performance is paramount for the Panthers' 2026 season.

With that in mind, the Panthers have been linked to a free-agent tight end who would offer the kind of weapon in the passing game Carolina needs at the position.

Panthers listed among top landing spots for Jonnu Smith

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith warms up before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. — Former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In an article naming the top landing spots for veteran tight end Jonnu Smith, who is still available in free agency, Fantasy Sports On SI's Mark Morales-Smith listed Carolina as one of them.

While looking at this through the lens of fantasy football, Morales-Smith lays out why Smith makes sense for Carolina and it lines up with our concern.

"Carolina is another landing spot where he could immediately step in as the starter," he said. "We do like Ja'Tavion Sanders, but he has not established himself as an NFL starter yet in his first two seasons."

Why Jonnu Smith makes sense for Panthers

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith reacts in the third quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. — Former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Smith had a rough time with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, as he finished with38 catches for 222 yards and two scores.

However, that was hardly his fault. Pittsburgh had an over-crowded tight ends room with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, also, and it seemed like former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith never had a sound plan for how to use Jonnu.

Taking it a step further, it didn't seem like the Steelers had a sound plan for any of their tight ends, as Freiermuth just wasn't involved enough, either, leading to his tallying the second-lowest yardage output of his career.

We saw just how much of an impact Smith can make the year prior, when the Miami Dolphins knew exactly how to use him. In that season, the veteran posted a career-best 884 yards and eight touchdowns en route to a Pro Bowl appearance.

Smith brings elite athleticism to the position and that makes him a big play waiting to happen and allows him to line up anywhere on the field, including in the slot, in the backfield and out wide.

And that's exactly the kind of weapon the Panthers could use for their offense to help Young ahead of a crucial season for him.

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