The Carolina Panthers find themselves in a strange spot ahead of the trade deadline, as they are somehow sitting atop the NFC South division, despite being in the middle of a three-game losing streak that has seen their record drop to 3-5. Nobody really knows what the Panthers are capable of, and as a result, their plans for the trade deadline are something of a mystery.
Based on rumors swirling around the team, it seems like Carolina is intent on straddling the line between buyer and seller. Several of the team’s spare parts appear to be up for grabs, and with the deadline just hours away, it sounds like third-year tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders is emerging as an unexpected trade candidate.
Panthers Open to Potential Ja’Tavion Sanders Trade
The Panthers selected Sanders in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he quickly flashed his potential as a rookie, catching 33 passes for 342 yards and a touchdown in 16 games of action. An inconsistent passing attack has rarely helped Sanders early on in his career, but he has proven he can be relied upon when called into action.
The 2025 campaign didn’t go as well for Sanders, as he caught 29 passes for just 190 yards and a score. In Week 17, Sanders suffered a broken ankle, which ended his season early and forced him to undergo surgery. However, he was ready for the start of the season, and even with Darren Waller leading the way at tight end now, it seemed like Sanders would still have a role for himself on offense.
Instead, Sanders only just played in his first game of the season on Sunday against the Denver Broncos, as he’s been a healthy scratch for every other contest this year. Clearly, Sanders isn’t part of the Panthers’ future plans, and as a result, he is emerging as a trade candidate for the team in what is a relatively desolate market at the tight end spot.
Carolina’s Ja’Tavion Sanders is a low-cost option at the position,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported in a post on X when discussing the tight end trade market.
Should the Panthers Trade Ja’Tavion Sanders?
Sanders clearly has upside, but he’s buried on Carolina’s depth chart right now. He still has one year left on his rookie contract, so the Panthers don’t necessarily have to move him, but he’s not playing, so if another team is interested in him, it wouldn’t make much sense to hold onto him just for the sake of doing so.
When considering the circumstances, the front office would probably take whatever it could get for Sanders, and with so few other options available at this spot, it could net a better-than-expected Day 3 selection in the upcoming draft. There are several different ways the Panthers could go at the trade deadline, and while there are only a few hours left before the deadline strikes, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Sanders finds his way to a new team by the end of the day.
Panthers Former Starting Tight End Emerges as Unexpected Trade Candidate