What to Expect From New Carolina Panthers Signing Darren Waller

Darren Waller should be an upgrade for the Carolina Panthers' passing attack, but expectations need to be tempered.

Former Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Carolina Panthers fans have been yearning for an addition at tight end all offseason long, and more specifically, an addition that can make an impact in the passing game.

The reason behind that has to do with the lack of firepower the team had in its tight ends room. Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans are good blockers but offer nothing as pass-catchers.

Ja'Tavion Sanders is the most promising pass-catcher in the room, but he has been woefully disappointing over two years in just about every way imaginable.

Thankfully, Carolina finally made a long-desired addition of a plus pass-catcher after reportedly inking Darren Waller to a one-year deal.

Waller has been an elite tight end during his career, but he is now long in the tooth. So, what exactly can we expect from the soon-to-be 34-year-old in 2026?

What to expect from Darren Waller

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (83) reacts after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even at his age, Waller can still be a matchup nightmare from the tight end position. We wouldn't expect him to be as explosive as he was earlier in his career, but the veteran is still a plus pass-catcher and athlete and is better than any of Carolina's other players at the position in both areas.

Where Waller is really going to shine at this late stage of his career is in the red zone and near the goal line, where Bryce Young is going to put Waller's 6-foot-6 frame to good use.

Waller had a whopping six touchdowns in nine games for the Miami Dolphins in 2026, one of which was scored against the Panthers, who also allowed Waller to gain a season-high 78 receiving yards.

The biggest concern with Waller is his injury history. He has not played a full season since 2020 and missed a total of 19 games between 2021 and 2023.

After coming out of retirement last season, Waller missed his first three games with a hip injury picked up in training camp, and he landed on injured reserve with a pectoral injury later in the campaign before returning to close out the season.

Another year older, Waller's injury issues aren't going to get any better, and that's the biggest reason why Panthers fans need to termper expectations with him.

That said, with Waller likely coming cheap in his one-year deal, he was definitely worth a swing for the Panthers, who needed more help at tight end and in their pass-catchers group in general.