Reporter opines on likelihood of Panthers signing Pro Bowl pass catcher

A notable offseason addition to the Carolina Panthers ’ tight end room still seems unlikely. Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer dug into his mailbag to answer some fan questions on Thursday. The Panthers beat reporter was asked if he believes the team could bring in free-agent David Njoku, especially after opting not to draft a tight end last weekend .

But Kaye opines that Njoku might not be a match for Carolina: Regarding former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, the read here is that he isn’t an immediate option for Carolina. The 2023 Pro Bowl playmaker will turn 30 in July which goes against the apparent youth movement on the roster. He will also probably cost a decent amount on a one-year deal, which might not be feasible after the Panthers’ free-agent spending spree.

The team will already need to restructure a deal or two to sign the rookie class outright. The Panthers were linked to a few tight ends from the 2026 NFL Draft class—most notably Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq and Georgia’s Oscar Delp . But general manager Dan Morgan and the front office passed up on both, as well as the other 19 tight ends who were selected.

Morgan, however, did not pass up on the opportunity to give his current tight ends a vote of confidence—even before the draft. "I think we have some guys on our roster that are big targets," Morgan told reporters back on April 14. "In general, we have guys in our tight end room that we feel are good players and guys that have the skill set to be able to do that.