Panthers' Ian Thomas: Next up to replace Olsen

Thomas is expected to replace Greg Olsen as the Panthers' starting tight end, ESPN.com's David Newton reports.

The 2018 fourth-round pick already has seen plenty of playing time in the NFL, thanks in no small part to Olsen's late-career health struggles. Thomas has had his own struggles with drops (three each season) and blocking, but he's an excellent athlete -- 4.74 40-yard dash, 36-inch vertical at 259 pounds -- who will be just 24 years old for the entire 2020 campaign. He's also shown glimpses of fantasy production in his 10 career games with two-thirds or more of offensive snaps, averaging 4.0 catches for 39.4 yards and 0.3 touchdowns (9.7 PPR points) on 5.9 targets. The Panthers may bring in a draft pick and/or veteran to compete for snaps, but Thomas should at least have some chance to secure a three-down role. Meanwhile, Olsen is expected to visit with Buffalo, Washington and Seattle in the coming weeks.