Tag: Tommy Tremble

Panthers injury updates: DE Marquis Haynes out of sling, limited in practice

Although he was still limited, Panthers DE Marquis Haynes ditched his sling ahead of Monday’s practice.

Just four days ago, Carolina Panthers defensive end Marquis Haynes walked out at training camp in Spartanburg, S.C. with a sling draped over his right shoulder. Well, he must’ve left it there.

Back at home in Charlotte, the fourth-year pass rusher hit the scene sans sling while wearing a limited practice jersey. Haynes, almost straight off a standout performance in Indianapolis, sustained a shoulder injury last week and has been held out of action on more of a precautionary basis.

Safety Kenny Robinson, who left Saturday’s preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens with a knee injury, was also amongst those not given the green light on Monday. He, fellow safety Sam Franklin, running back Rodney Smith and wide receivers Keith Kirkwoord and Trenton Cannon were all no-go’s. Additionally, defensive end Haason Reddick and Tommy Tremble were not present.

Star wideout DJ Moore did, however, return to a complete session. He was pulled from the joint workout last Thursday after falling on his right side, injuring his back. Moore dressed, but did not play on Saturday.

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Watch: Tommy Tremble scores touchdown in preseason debut

Touchdown Tommy!

Former Notre Dame tight end Tommy Tremble made his NFL preseason debut for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday and made the most of his opportunity, scoring a touchdown and hauling in two more receptions.

Already leading 9-3 with under two minutes to play before halftime, Panthers quarterback P. J. Walker found Tremble for a seven yard touchdown to stretch the lead to 15-3.

Tremble wound up with three receptions for 19 yards and that touchdown, but the Panthers ultimately fell 21-18.

Related:

Notre Dame tight ends drafted under Brian Kelly

4 takeaways from the Panthers’ 21-18 preseason loss to Colts

If you were looking for some excitement from the Carolina Panthers rookies, then you couldn’t have been disappointed this afternoon.

The Carolina Panthers (well, some of them, anyway) finally cracked an actual field of play here in 2021. And even in an exhibition matchup with every one of their projected starters not even dressing, there were a handful of developments to shed a light on.

Here are four takeaways from the Panthers’ 21-18 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Panthers Highlights: Tommy Tremble secures first TD on a bullet from P.J. Walker

Panthers rookie TE Tommy Tremble, with a little help from RB Chuba Hubbard, found the end zone for the first time in his pro career.

When today’s starting lineups were released, we knew the Carolina Panthers rookies were going to have their chances.

Terrace Marshall Jr. almost made the absolute most of his first one on a 60-yard catch-and-run. Then, the next pair of baby Panthers would step up soon after.

On Carolina’s fifth offensive possession of the game, running back Chuba Hubbard finally broke through on a slippery 59-yard run after being denied throughout much of the first half.

That big run, which put the offense at the Indianapolis 23-yard line, would help set up a 7-yard touchdown strike from quarterback P.J. Walker that wound up in the hands of an another rookie, tight end Tommy Tremble.

Tremble’s score, the first of his professional career, gave the Panthers a 15-3 lead with 1:56 remaining in the second quarter.

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Panthers ink Tommy Tremble, complete signings for 2021 draft class

It may have taken a little bit, but the Carolina Panthers have now officially signed each of their 11 2021 draft picks.

The Carolina Panthers needed quite a bit of paper and ink for this particular offseason, or at least more than they normally would. But, hopefully, none of it will go to waste from here on out for any of their 11 draft picks.

On Thursday, the team announced that they have come to terms with tight end Tommy Tremble, making him the final rookie from this year’s class to officially sign his first NFL contract. Carolina’s 11 selections were not only tied for the most in 2021 (Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings), but also tied a franchise-record that stood since their inaugural draft of 1995.

Tremble was plucked out of the University of Notre Dame by the Panthers in the third round with the 83rd overall pick. Although the 6-foot-3, 240-pounder was primarily used as a blocker in his pair of seasons for the Fighting Irish, his athleticism and raw potential has coaches forecasting a considerable impact from their new weapon in the near future.

Carolina fielded the league’s worst production at the position this past season, with the team’s tight ends only going for a combined 207 yards and two touchdowns. Tremble, along with free-agent signing Dan Arnold and now fourth-year veteran Ian Thomas, will look to change that in 2021.

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Ranking the top 5 tight ends in the NFC South: A new champion emerges

The tight end spot hasn’t been a bright one for the Carolina Panthers since the glory days of Greg Olsen.

Once upon a time, this division was stacked with the best of the best at the tight end position. It was when Greg Olsen of the Carolina Panthers, Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons and Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints roamed the NFC South like dinosaurs, leaving destruction in their path as they pleased.

Well, there must’ve been a meteor, because tight end talent has just about gone extinct in this division.

Not to say the teams of the NFC South are throwing out any old bums onto the field, but you won’t find a Travis Kelce, a George Kittle or a Darren Waller anywhere around these parts. So, even with the Panthers having seen the league’s worst production from the position of late, can any of their tight ends crack this installment of our rankings?

Hold on to your butts . . .

Panthers OC Joe Brady says Tommy Tremble is not ‘just a run blocker’

Panthers OC Joe Brady says Tommy Tremble is not ‘just a run blocker.’

Why are Carolina Panthers fans so down on the team’s tight end situation? That spot has turned up more production than the game’s best player at the position, Travis Kelce and he had a hell of a 2020 season.

The five-time All-Pro and NFL 2010s All-Decade Team member reeled in a whopping 105 receptions for 1,416 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Kansas City Chiefs this past year. Carolina’s tight ends, on the other hand, combined for 161 catches, 1,624 yards and 12 touchdowns . . . oh, wait.

*checks notes*

*checks calculator*

*checks calendar*

Ok, well, turns out those 161 catches, 1,624 yards and 12 scores for the Panthers have come over this past season . . . and the season before that . . . and the season before that. So, yes, it’s taken three years of play (2018 to 2020) for every single Panthers tight end combined to barely outproduce one campaign’s worth of Kelce.

That’s a problem that needs some fixing. And offensive coordinator Joe Brady believes third-round pick Tommy Tremble can be part of that solution.

“I think Coach Ang (tight ends coach Brian Angelichio) has done a great job of working with him in developing his game in the pass game. . . I don’t see Tommy as a guy that’s just a run blocker. I see a guy that I think ‘Is he gonna be a complete tight end?’ So it’s our job right now, OTAs and training camp, to just find out exactly what he can [do] and just kinda evolve and roll with that.”

Tremble’s numbers in his two years at Notre Dame weren’t all that sexy, having mustered up just 401 yards and four touchdowns over 19 games. The 6-foot-3, 241-pounder was utilized as more of as a run blocker for the Fighting Irish, a role he was particularly effective and efficient in.

Tremble’s physical gifts say he can be much more, just as Brady alluded to. He tested in at least the 80th percentile amongst tight ends for his 40-yard dash (4.65 seconds), 20-yard split (2.6 seconds), 10-yard split (1.56 seconds), vertical jump (36.5 inches) and broad jump (122 inches). His Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 8.91 also places him in the “elite” category for the position.

Brady went on to praise Tremble’s position mates as well, Dan Arnold and Ian Thomas, for their output thus far.

“I’ve been pleased with their work ethic. They’re making plays in the passing game and they’re developing their game in the run game. . . I don’t want tight ends sitting there just trying to focus on one thing or the other. I think that unit, that tight end room right now understands the importance of being complete tight ends.”

At least one of Tremble, Arnold or Thomas has to break out for the Panthers in 2021. Despite not having the actual pro reps like the other two just yet, the rookie’s eye-opening athleticism could give him a promising head start.

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Which positions have the Carolina Panthers improved most this offseason?

Here is a look at the three positions that the Panthers have improved most since last season.

The Panthers will resume their OTA workouts tomorrow, taking the next step towards the 2021 season. June 1 is a significant date on the NFL calendar for a number of reasons, so now’s a good time to reflect on where the team is heading into the summer months.

For Carolina, this offseason has been all about upgrading a young roster with an eye on fundamentally changing how they can play defense. Here is a look at the three positions that the Panthers have improved most since last season.

Cornerback

Lost: Rasul Douglas, Corn Elder

Gained: Jaycee Horn, Keith Taylor, Rashaan Melvin, A.J. Bouye

Clearly, the No. 1 priority on general manager Scott Fitterer’s list was upgrading what was an unreliable cornerback room in 2020. No longer having Elder at nickel may sting, but only if they don’t use their personnel right. After investing significant resources at the position, there’s more than enough firepower to go around, here.

In free agency, the Panthers picked up Bouye and Melvin – two solid veterans who may be past their prime but came on cheap, short-term deals. In the draft, Carolina added two rookies with Horn and Taylor – both long, physical, lanky Seattle type corners who can press.

If the plan is to start Horn and Bouye outside and slide Donte Jackson inside to cover the slot there’s a real chance this cornerback group could go from liability to strength. Putting that group out there together should enable defensive coordinator Phil Snow to be far more aggressive using man coverage following a zone-heavy 2020 campaign.

Linebacker

Lost: Tahir Whitehead, Adarius Taylor

Gained: Denzel Perryman, Haason Reddick, Frankie Luvu, Paddy Fisher

Another spot that got a nice boost was linebacker – both the inside and outside versions. Going from Whitehead as the starting Mike to Perryman might be the single-most impactful move the team makes this year defensively. At the very least, Perryman is a far more efficient tackler and light years ahead in coverage. If things don’t work out with Perryman or he gets injured again, they still have an excellent backup in Jermaine Carter.

Outside, the Panthers helped their pass rush by signing Reddick – who posted 12.5 sacks and 16 QB hits last season after moving out to the edge in Arizona. If he comes anywhere close to repeating those numbers, the one-year, $6 milllion deal he signed for will be a steal.

Tight end

Lost: Chris Manhertz

Gained: Dan Arnold, Tommy Tremble

Offensively, the Panthers made huge changes at quarterback, left tackle and wide receiver, but it remains to be seen if those moves have actually made them better. That said, on paper it’s pretty clear that Carolina is deeper at tight end compared to last year.

Manhertz may be one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL. However, he’ll turn 30 in a couple weeks and most likely won’t be effective much longer. The Panthers should get an effective replacement with Tremble, who has been dubbed the best blocking tight end in college football. If he lives up to that billing, Manhertz won’t be missed.

Like the Reddick acquisition, signing Arnold for two years and $6 million could be another significant under-the-radar steal in free agency. Arnold posted four touchdowns and 438 yards for the Cards last year. Similar production would be a step up compared to what the Panthers have gotten from this spot since Greg Olsen’s foot injuries began in 2017.

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Measurables and percentiles for the Carolina Panthers’ 2021 draft class

So, with a little help from the prospect testing at their respective pro days, here are the measurables and percentiles for the Panthers’ 2021 draft class.

No NFL combine for the 2021 draft? No problem. The good folks over at MockDraftable.com were still able to piece together their yearly spider graphs of the incoming rookie crop.

So, with a little help from the prospect testing at their respective pro days, here are the measurables and percentiles for the Panthers’ 2021 draft class.

CB Jaycee Horn

In case you couldn’t tell, that’s a pretty freakish web. Horn will be able to cover plenty of rare air with his height, wingspan and jumps.

And if you still couldn’t tell how special of an athlete Horn is, check out his Relative Athletic Score (RAS) as well, where his 9.99 mark ranked second among all cornerbacks tested since 1987.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr.

Marshall’s got the hops too, which is even crazier considering he measures in at slightly over 6-foot-2. Like Horn, his above average athleticism is one of a few reasons general manager Scott Fitterer jumped on him in the second round.

OT Brady Christensen

While he doesn’t measure up favorably, Christensen is one hell of an athlete. (See a theme here yet?) Each of his athletic test results landed him in at least the 85th percentile.

TE Tommy Tremble

Tremble, noted primarily for his blocking at Notre Dame, will look to tap more into that high-end testing as a pass catcher at the next level.

RB Chuba Hubbard

Hubbard’s web isn’t as encompassing as the four teammates ahead of him, but it’s still quite solid. He’s a longer-bodied back with relatively good agility that’ll look to compete for the open reps behind Christian McCaffrey.

DT Daviyon Nixon

A defensive tackle with that type of length hitting a 4.9-second 40-yard dash with a 1.7-second 10-yard split? Woof.

CB Keith Taylor

Taylor fits right into that Seattle way of thinking Fitterer has brought over. They love them those tall defensive backs.

OG Deonte Brown

The 6-foot-3, 344-pound Brown was not brought on to be an athlete, and you don’t have to be when you’re a mountain of a man like this.

WR Shi Smith

Smith is pretty jumpy, with his broad and verticals hitting on the 66th and 57th percentiles, respectively. He’s fast as well, having clocked in his 40-yard dash at 4.46 seconds.

LS Thomas Fletcher

Long snappers are people too, but not worthy enough for spider graphs.

DT Phil Hoskins

Hoskins boasts some crazy quick splits for a defensive tackle at 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds. His tremendous 83-inch wingspan will also come in handy at the position when he attempts to bat down passes at the line scrimmage.

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Carolina Panthers: 90-man roster to begin the 2021 offseason

With OTAs on the horizon, here is what the team’s current 90-man roster looks like.

The Carolina Panthers are now entering their second year of the Matt Rhule era and the first under Scott Fitterer, and their chessboard is continuing to take shape. So, who are all the pieces?

With OTAs on the horizon, here is what the team’s current 90-man roster looks like.