Carolina Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders suffered an apparent injury in the club’s Week 12 matchup against the Washington Commanders. Here’s the latest after Sunday’s game.
What Happened to Ja’Tavion Sanders?
Sanders landed on his head after hauling in a 10-yard pass from Panthers QB Bryce Young with 26 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Carolina’s medical staff immediately brought a cart onto the field for Sanders. The Panthers placed the rookie tight end on a backboard before taking him to the locker room.
Fortunately, Sanders gave Carolina’s fans a thumbs-up and raised his arms as he left the field.
Not good, Ja'Tavion Sanders is down after a bad landing pic.twitter.com/Y4DH3T9RPq
— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) November 24, 2024
Sanders was transported to a Charlotte hospital for further evaluation for a neck injury. Fortunately, Sanders was discharged from the hospital and reportedly has movement in all of his extremities.
This lines up with what head coach Dave Canales said after Sunday’s game.
“He’s still under evaluation,” Canales said. “But certainly a positive sign. He’s coming back here to the facility right now.”
Sanders, a fourth-round pick out of Texas in April’s NFL Draft, entered Week 12 with 26 receptions for 253 yards and one touchdown. He posted three catches for 49 yards before exiting Sunday’s game.
The 21-year-old had recently become more involved in Carolina’s offense, playing at least 70% of the club’s offensive snaps in six of the past seven games. He topped 85% in Weeks 9 and 10.
Sanders’ Pre-Draft Scouting Report
Sanders put up at least 40 catches and 600 yards in each of his final two seasons with the Texas Longhorns, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors in both campaigns.
He became the fourth tight end selected in April’s draft, coming off the board after Brock Bowers, Ben Sinnott, and Tip Reiman.
Here’s what PFN Analyst Ian Cummings said about Sanders in his pre-draft scouting report:
“Sanders may have some scheme dependence as a prospect, but as a versatile big-slot weapon with RAC, seam, and red-zone utility, he brings plenty of value.
At around 6’4″, 245 pounds with a 4.69-second 40-yard dash speed, Sanders is a notable size-speed athlete with great burst and agility, and he compounds those traits with good play strength, physicality, and contact balance in multiple phases.
Sanders’ best plays come when he’s able to attack up the seam. He has the necessary zone awareness to bend out of breaks and find space, and when the ball comes his way, he can snare it with sharp focus, smooth body control, and incredibly strong, authoritative hands.
Sanders can use his explosiveness to carve through zone-coverage looks and outmuscle defensive backs once he has leverage advantages, but he’s also a potent RAC threat. His burst and frame density make him a handful with the ball in his hands, and he’s a forward-pressing finisher with some creativity on the lateral plane.
Even after 2023, there’s still room for Sanders to improve as a route runner. His route tree still has room to expand, there are still plant-and-drive deficiencies on tape, and he has a tendency to run too far upright into stems, which can exacerbate issues with transitions.
Sanders may never be an incredibly potent route runner, but with his size-speed profile, bend, and zone awareness, he has a niche he can fit into. And beyond his value as a seam and red-zone threat, he’s a venerable RAC weapon who also brings great willingness as a blocker in space.
Particularly in schemes that value RAC and blocking utility from their TEs, Sanders would be a stellar fit. Right away, he should be a quality situational presence with his RAC and catch-point appeal, and he can grow to become a quality starter year in and year out.”