Panthers add needed depth, agree to terms with new tight end
One of the biggest needs for the Carolina Panthers coming into the offseason was a pass-catching tight end. Toward the end of the first week of NFL free agency, the Panthers have begun to fill that void.
The Panthers agreed to terms with 26-year-old tight end Dan Arnold on a two-year, $6 million deal, per a league source. Arnold (6-foot-6, 220-pounds) spent time with Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady during the 2018 season with the New Orleans Saints.
After going undrafted out of Wisconsin-Platteville, Arnold spent 2017 on the Saints injured reserve. Prior to the 2018 season, he was moved from wide receiver to tight end and found more success.
During the 2018 season, Arnold had 12 catches for 150 yards and one touchdown in 10 games. The Arizona Cardinals acquired him off waivers in 2019 and he remained with the team for the 2020 season.
Arnold is coming off his best year yet, playing all 16 games of a season for the first time. Despite playing only 41.4% of the offensive snaps, he had 31 catches, including 24 for first downs, for 438 yards and four touchdowns. He did not, however, have a breakout season for the Cardinals as some had expected.
This offseason, Carolina has now signed five players — Stephen Sullivan, Haason Reddick, Morgan Fox, David Moore and Arnold — that most recently played in the NFC West, a division general manager Scott Fitterer is familiar from his time with the Seattle Seahawks.
One of the Panthers’ key positional deficits last season was a tight end that could convert first downs and be a reliable target. Arnold will be a step in the right direction. The tight end room now includes Arnold, Ian Thomas, Colin Thompson, and Sullivan. The signing is another example of an investment in a lower tier player for a reasonable price. It should not preclude the Panthers from continuing to address the position, especially through the draft.
This story was originally published March 19, 2021 at 9:45 PM.
