While many may say that historic is a word that cannot be used on a franchise like the Carolina Panthers, I beg to differ and finally have patience. Carolina has continued to grow into the little brother of the NFC South, to now a contender inside of the division with a chance to finally break through the mold into true NFC Contender status. If the last few years has been any display, it’s going to be a long time coming, but many are speculating that TE from Penn State, Tyler Warren should drop to us at #8, solving the problems in Carolina.
Tight End, Penn State, Tyler Warren supporters:
Tyler Warren is a no-doubt stud for a team that’s able to open up the true potential of the dynamic tight end, but I have to ask, is that something Dave Canales even does with the Panthers? Let us use the previous stops of one Dave Canales, and examine some stats utilizing the tight end room, and find the answer ourselves!
Let us first give the context of where Dave Canales was during the time we are going to be examining:
2010-2022, Dave Canales went from Wide Receivers coach in 2017, to QB Coach until 2020 when he became a Passing Game Coordinator, and finally as Quarterbacks Coach during the 2022 NFL season.
2023: Dave accepts the Offensive Coordinator spot for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
2024: Dave becomes the first Mexican-American Head Coach in NFL history.
With the overall mapping of his tenures ready, I am going to set out the parameters that I wish to find out.
- Is Dave Canales going to utilize this top tier talent in tight end out of Penn State, Tyler Warren?
- What is his history with tight-end utilization? Yards? Touchdowns? Salaries? Drafted vs FA?
- Is there a case to be made that Tyler Warren is the best pick at #8?
Seattle Seahawks
This pattern does show that a stable tight end room gives an olive branch of help to other facets of the team, and the Seahawks were no stranger with John Carlson, Zach Miller, Jimmy Graham, and the veteran help of Greg Olsen down the road. The overall depth at which the Seahawks used tight ends, enabled them to put Zach Miller in position to their Super Bowl-winning season with immense blocking and reliable hands. While Jimmy Graham had early chemistry issues, the team up with multiple Pro Bowl QB Russell Wilson allowed for the team to continue to play at a high level, a far cry from the Panthers’ situation now.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The lack of true tight-end powerhouses displayed for the first time an offense that was run 100% through Dave Canales, giving us a glimpse into the overall scope of tight-end usage to be coming down the pipeline. Dave was able to get TE Cade Otton to a place where he was serviceable, yet invisible. QB Baker Mayfield was able to fight for Comeback Player of the Year, and even MVP at times with immense performances to all his weapons, except Otton who wouldn’t have a single game over 50 receiving yards all season, something Carolina was able to accomplish at least once.
Carolina Panthers
In 2024, the Carolina Panthers ranked 14th in Tight End Utilization, and 18th in the effectiveness of tight ends in gaining yards and scoring.
In 2024, Penn State ranked 3rd in tight end utilization and 2nd in tight end efficiency among all college football teams.
Tyler Warren is built for a team that utilizes their tight ends at a rate that exceeds the norms, like the teams below:
Top 10 Teams for Tight End Utilization
- Baltimore Ravens
- San Francisco 49ers
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Arizona Cardinals
- Miami Dolphins
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- New England Patriots
- Cincinnati Bengals
Top 10 Teams for Tight End Efficiency
- San Francisco 49ers
- Baltimore Ravens
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Arizona Cardinals
- Miami Dolphins
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- New England Patriots
- Cincinnati Bengals
If you’re not one of the above teams, a Tyler Warren might not be the best avenue for you, as his numbers are absolutely “inflated” due to the raw power that Penn State can reveal, while also allowing for the snap count needed to eclipse the 1,000-yard threshold as a rookie. I continue to beat the drum for a defensive star for this Panthers team, but the fanbase might agree with me finally after reading this.