The Chicago Bears are sitting at 6-2, but in a tough NFC North, the team needs to keep its foot on the gas. So, even though they already traded for Jeffery Simmons, ESPN analyst Ben Solak also sees them as a strong fit for Carolina Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders.
Chicago Bears could trade for Carolina Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders
Solak notes that Sanders is buried on the Panthers' depth chart, but the Bears' high usage of tight ends could make him a strong fit.
“Sanders has been a healthy scratch in Carolina for much of the season despite his draft status as a 2024 fourth-round selection,” wrote Solak. “He is buried on the depth chart behind Tommy Tremble, Darren Waller, and the direly underrated Mitchell Evans, but still has some YAC skills. The Bears lost Cole Kmet for the season because of a major knee injury, and though Sanders shares none of Kmet's skill set, he gives them another option at TE3 behind Colston Loveland and rookie third-round pick Sam Roush.”
Solak believes a deal could get done for a sixth-round pick.
Sanders is a former fourth-round pick by the Panthers in the 2024 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, he put up 342 yards. However, the offense started to change in 2025, and he was not part of the plans. Sanders had 29 catches for 190 yards in his second season.
Now, he has yet to be active, as he is the Panthers' fourth tight end. Still, Sanders is only 23 years old, and he has NFL production. In the right scheme and with the right players around him, he could be used effectively.
The Bears were prepared for the loss of Cole Kmet with the drafting of Sam Roush. However, they did not draft Roush to replace Kmet this year. They wanted him to be a third tight end, and they wanted to lean into three tight end looks.
Stephen Carlson played ten snaps in the Bears' Week 8 win over the Seattle Seahawks. So, they could add Sanders, and he could either step into the Kmet role, or at the very least, he would be a better addition than Carlson as the Bears' third tight end.
They would have contract rights to Sanders through 2027, so the team could let Kmet walk in free agency and move into the next year with Colston Loveland, Roush, and Sanders. For a small price, it is not a bad deal.
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