Lost in the numerous interviews taking place at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Monday was an admission by Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales. Entering his second year in charge of the Panthers, Canales knows his offense needs more playmaking to help quarterback Bryce Young succeed.
Young found his groove more in 2024 after an early benching, showing a strong end to the season that reinvigorated the franchise's faith in his potential. Canales oversaw the Panthers' 2024 NFL Draft which brought in several talented offensive rookies. But that's not going to stop him from considering Penn State tight end Tyler Warren.
When asked about Warren, it's clear Canales was intimately familiar with everything the Nittany Lions did with the playmaker.
"He's an incredible player. Speaking of versatility, here's a guy who can play close to the interior and play physical because of his sheer size. He does create some mismatches in the passing game and you can hand him the ball. If you look at some of the teams that are using tight ends for QB sneaks, that would be a weapon in a short-yardage situation. He's a very interesting prospect."
Canales is spot on about Warren, who ranks among the very best overall talents in the class. Coming off an insane season with 104 receptions, 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns, plus 26 carries for 218 yards and four scores, Warren can do it all. He's an elite athlete at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds.
He touched on a specific usage that is especially valuable for a team with a quarterback who is only 5-foot-10 and 204 pounds. The tush push is out of the question for Young, and even asking him to do sneaks is risky.
Carolina converted only 36% of third down conversions and 46% of 4th down attempts, ranking 26th in the NFL in both areas. The short-yard situations weren't a major weakness, but being more versatile and having options is a good thing.
Even with Carolina expected to consider bringing free-agent Tommy Tremble back to pair with 2024 fourth-round pick Ja'Tavion Sanders, there's room for an addition of Warren. The Panthers have one of the weakest receiver rooms in the NFL, so it's possible they could go for a pure receiver.
However, Canales could help Young by giving him a true star tight end who can play at multiple positions and be a safety net. Sanders was supposed to help more than he did as a rookie, contributing only 33 receptions for 342 yards and one touchdown in 16 games. Because he didn't fully break out, the Panthers must keep an open mind and not bank on a fairly one-dimensional option.
We saw the impact that Brock Bowers had in Las Vegas and how Tre McBride has become a top option in Arizona relatively quickly. The Panthers need a breakout from Xavier Legette or to add a veteran in free agency to make Warren the best option at No. 8, but the idea is a lot better sounding than it previously seemed after Canales described how he'd use him.
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