April 5, 2026, 12:38 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
Do the Carolina Panthers<\/a> have one more free-agent splash<\/a> left in them?<\/p>\n If they do, Garrett Podell of CBS Sports may believe that tight end David Njoku would be worth their while. Podell, when recently linking<\/a> the top remaining free agents to a few potential landing spots, connected the former first-round pick to Carolina:<\/p>\n ” . . . If healthy, he’s a valuable middle-of-the-field and red-zone playmaker. Turning 30 in 2026 and dealing with injuries should make him a more cost-conscious target than in years past.\u00a0<\/p>\n “The\u00a0Carolina Panthers\u00a0make the most sense for Njoku: the defending NFC South champions need more of a receiving threat out of their tight end spot than\u00a0Tommy Tremble\u00a0has put on tape. He could really open up the middle of the field for quarterback\u00a0Bryce Young.”<\/p>\n Njoku is almost three seasons removed from his one-and-only Pro Bowl campaign\u2014where he reeled in 81 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns. The 29-year-old is fresh off notching 33 receptions for 293 yards and four scores over 12 games in 2025.<\/p>\n Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a><\/p>\n Although they’re seemingly comfortable with the current state of their tight end room, the Panthers could stand an upgrade in the production department. Carolina hasn’t seen a single one of their tight ends amass at least 500 receiving yards in a season since 2019 (Greg Olsen).<\/p>\n Follow our free agency tracker<\/a> for all the latest moves.<\/p>\n