Andrew Buller-Russ
Back in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers made Bryce Young the No. 1 overall pick. He’s improved each season since, and so has the Panthers’ record, going from 2-14, to 4-8, to 8-8 and a playoff berth.
A big reason why Young has steadily improved is that the Panthers have continued to improve the foundation surrounding him. That includes spending over $100 million on the offensive line. The Panthers also invested first-round picks in back-to-back drafts on wide receivers Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan.
The Panthers used their first-round pick on an offensive tackle in the 2026 NFL Draft, but Carolina also invested a third-round pick on Tennessee wideout Chris Brazzell. Yet, some believe the Panthers shouldn’t be done adding to their core of pass-catchers.
Recently, Sports Illustrated‘s Eva Geitheim urged the Panthers to consider signing free agent tight end Darren Waller.
“The Panthers missed out on the tight end run in this year’s draft, and could use more there after their leading tight end, Tommy Tremble, finished 47th in receiving yards among players at the position. Perhaps they could turn to veteran Darren Waller instead. After coming out of retirement, Waller proved to be a red zone threat for the Dolphins, catching 24 passes for 283 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. Alternatively, the Panthers could look to another free-agent tight end, such as David Njoku, to fill that void.”
SI on Panthers addressing top need with Darren Waller
Waller retired for the 2024 season, but surprisingly returned and joined the Miami Dolphins in 2025. Set to turn 34 in September, Waller likely can still help a team like the Panthers after recording a respectable 283 yards and six touchdowns across just three starts and nine appearances.
The one-time Pro Bowler hasn’t made any suggestions that he’s heading back to retirement this offseason, and with training camps around the corner, there could be more activity on his front soon.
Related: 2026 NFL QB Rankings: From NFL’s Worst Starting QB to the Best
