At this point its Sadiq or bust... A

[strato]

Great QB play, yes. I am guilty of thinking we don’t have it so why bother with TE. I just get negative on things in general over it.

But TE, and do they make the difference? I will say this, I forget what year it was, but KC was in the playoffs and people were playing them tight and when it came down to it they could not cover Kelce. No answer for him. 
So they can make a big difference.

FWIW Kelce was a third round pick. I suspect you will find many famous successful TEs who were not 1st rounders. 
 

I am against using the 1st on Sadiq this year. But would welcome taking another shot if we can find a good bet later on.  

Edited March 17 by strato

[PleaseCutStewart]

I still think Sadiq has too many red flags to take with our 1st round pick. We are talking about a guy that averaged 40 yards/game, despite having a spread offense that is easy to produce yards in with Oregon + a Heisman caliber QB. You can have all the straight line speed and vertical in the world - if you don't know how to run routes, read zone defenses, and use your body to body up defenders to make contested catches, you aren't going to be great in the NFL.

His athleticism does not show up on tape at all for me and I don't see him being successful as an inline tight end. If we are going to take a chance on tight ends that disappointed in college that probably can't be an inline TE, I would much rather use a pick on Klare in the 3rd round.

Edited March 17 by PleaseCutStewart

[micnificent28]

32 minutes ago, PleaseCutStewart said:

I still think Sadiq has too many red flags to take with our 1st round pick. We are talking about a guy that averaged 40 yards/game, despite having a spread offense that is easy to produce yards in with Oregon + a Heisman caliber QB. You can have all the straight line speed and vertical in the world - if you don't know how to run routes, read zone defenses, and use your body to body up defenders to make contested catches, you aren't going to be great in the NFL.

His athleticism does not show up on tape at all for me and I don't see him being successful as an inline tight end. If we are going to take a chance on tight ends that disappointed in college that probably can't be an inline TE, I would much rather use a pick on Klare in the 3rd round.

 

How did you see this and say his athleticism doesn't show up? They literally run bubble screen with him.. a tight.. how rare is that and he pulls away from people making big home run plays. If nothing else you see the speed and that he's a hands catcher. I get his route running isn't where it needs to be yet which is why he is even possibly on the board at 19.  

 

[ProcessBlue2]

Morgan will find a way to fake out everyone like he did with Walker last year. Will have everyone convinced we are taking him or Woods or somebody and grab Jordan Tyson, CJ Allen, or something. 

I also wouldn’t be shocked if he traded back to the late 20s and took a tackle.

Edited March 17 by ProcessBlue2

[Jay Roosevelt]

I'm generally a 'no' on drafting TEs in the 1st round, but it could very well turn out that Sadiq is the BPA at #19. TE is a need for sure.

[Car123]

Before free agency, Dan Morgan said we need a player on offense who can get separation and create YAC. We addressed every position of need except this. Sadiq fits this description. I’d say there is a very good chance he’s selected. For those saying we shouldn’t use a pick that high on a TE, he’s not just a TE. We could line him all over the field to create mismatches — similar to McCaffrey. He would open up our offense. We can’t go into the season without adding an additional weapon.

[tukafan21]

On 3/16/2026 at 10:37 AM, TheMaulClaw said:

Whenever the Panthers have had deep runs they've had great tight ends. That's why.  KC- great tight end.  NE with Brady- great tight end.  Pretty much most of your high end teams have meaningful production at the TE spot.  I'm not opposed to it.

But I also just pointed out how most of the best teams of the last 2-4 years have not had elite TE play.  You're cherry picking the best TE in NFL history and another who is easily Top 5 and has an argument of being 2nd (not to mention, those teams had realistically the 2 best QB's to ever play the game, and Bryce 'aint that).

I'm not going to pretend I remember Olsen's contracts when he was here, but I don't remember him ever being one of those players on contracts like the elite TE's today get.

And that's why I'm not really too hung up on adding that type of TE, I just think the money is better used elsewhere and we go TE by committee with 2-3 players who compliment each other well.

[tukafan21]

20 hours ago, strato said:

Great QB play, yes. I am guilty of thinking we don’t have it so why bother with TE. I just get negative on things in general over it.

But TE, and do they make the difference? I will say this, I forget what year it was, but KC was in the playoffs and people were playing them tight and when it came down to it they could not cover Kelce. No answer for him. 
So they can make a big difference.

FWIW Kelce was a third round pick. I suspect you will find many famous successful TEs who were not 1st rounders. 
 

I am against using the 1st on Sadiq this year. But would welcome taking another shot if we can find a good bet later on.  

And Gronk was a 2nd rounder (albeit only because he missed the entire season before the draft due to injury).

If we hit on a mid round TE who turns into a clear cut Top 5 TE in NFL history (like Kelce), that's different, but using 1st round capital on someone who likely wouldn't even be a Top 5 TE in the NFL over the next 5 years just doesn't seem smart use of resources.

[strato]

I am using Kelce more as an example of what people think you get with a 1st round TE. 
 

3 f the top 4 yardage guys of all time are 1st rounders. I think. But realize these would be the guys with super long careers, and/or top QBs throwing to them. We don’t have a top QB. 
 

And there have been Plenty of first round disappointments too. More of them than the all time leaders for sure. 
 

We were treating Bryce as the ultimate ‘don’t fug it up’ game manager in order to get a few of those 8 wins. And to stay close in some losses.
 

1st round picks, starting in 2023 that have been used on a WR or on the QB?

2023 1 (qb)

2024 2 (1 & 32) (qb, wr)

2025 1 (wr)

When does it stop?  
 

 

Edited March 17 by strato