Rosario is a more efficient pass blocker than King...

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Only Jeremy Shockey and Gary Barnidge are under contract so there is no reason to cut one of them (obviously referring to Barnidge). However, the team usually carries three tight ends which leaves room for Rosario or King.

First, I would look at pass and run blocking protection because the Panthers have always liked tight ends that can open holes on the outside for Williams and Stewart or can stand on the line and pick up a blitzing linebacker. Based on the information provided Rosario definitely has the edge on King is this area.

Secondly, one would want to look at the tight ends ability to become a pass catching tight end. King did have more touchdowns than Rosario last year but that is mainly because King was more of a red zone threat due to his stocky build and large frame. However, Rosario had more yards and more receptions which indicates that he made himself a threat almost everywhere on the field except for the red zone. If Rosario can make himself a threat in the red zone he should be a total package tight end. Once again I would give the edge to Rosario.

Finally, you should look at athleticism, ability, and NFL experience. With out a doubt Rosario has more athleticism and ability than King, to be honest Rosario has just as much athleticism as Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates (don't believe me, go watch this list of games: 2007 vs. Seattle, 2008 @ San Diego, 2009 @ Dallas, 2009 @ New York Jets). They both have NFL experience, yet Rosario probably has more left in the tank than King.

With that said here is my tight end depth chart for this season...

1. Jeremy Shockey

2. Dante Rosario

3. Gary Barnidge

[mercules20]

Do people really think that Fox held grudges and didn't put the team on the field that gave us the best chance to win? DW was buried in the depth chart at that point because he was following one of the best players in Panthers history and hadn't (at that time) proven that he was anymore than a change of pace back.

Try and think back (honestly) how you felt when the Panthers were going into the year without Stephen Davis (prior to drafting Stewart) with DW as the starter. Many people like myself were happily proven wrong :)

Okay, lets think about 4 or 5 years ago when Deshaun Foster was our lead back, who was behind him?

[jtm]

Okay, lets think about 4 or 5 years ago when Deshaun Foster was our lead back, who was behind him?

Please don't make me do that, I have removed Defumble Foster from my memory.

[DaveThePanther2008]

I see where you are coming from, but I just don't see it with Rosario. If I had a dime for every time Jake Delhomme or John Fox threw their hands up in the air because Rosario ran the wrong route or dropped a pass, I could get free coffee for a year.

I think Rosario has incredible athleticism, but he is a constant tease as another poster put it. I also disagree that he has been underutilized, he has been benched because Jeff King is a better tight end. Jeff King wouldn't be a starter on any other team in the NFL and Rosario can't beat him out. When you run wrong routes and drop passes you don't get many opportunities. This isn't because they haven't tried to use him - instead they have and he squandered those opportunities.

It is sad to say but Rosario is a back-up on a team that doesn't have very good tight ends. At this point with Shockey, he is probably 3rd on the depth chart. It wouldn't surprise me to see him launched after the CBA.

I was tracking with what you were saying about Rosario. But the King remark is absurd. While King is not Wesley Walls or Kellen Winslow Sr. he is as solid TE. Blocks extremely well, has good hands and is a perfect TE for a running team. If we do not resign him, he will be picked up and quite quickly and start.

Too many of you expect every player to be the prototype player at every position. If every team had the perfect player then the NFL would be boring.

[jtm]

I was tracking with what you were saying about Rosario. But the King remark is absurd. While King is not Wesley Walls or Kellen Winslow Sr. he is as solid TE. Blocks extremely well, has good hands and is a perfect TE for a running team. If we do not resign him, he will be picked up and quite quickly and start.

Too many of you expect every player to be the prototype player at every position. If every team had the perfect player then the NFL would be boring.

I have nothing against Jeff King, he is a great role player. But he is only a role player and there is nothing wrong with that. Teams need role players in order to win and he plays this part well. This is why in my opinion Rosario or others have not been able to beat him out. He blocks like he should, catches when thrown to, and runs decent routes. However, the Panthers have brought in 3 different TEs since acquiring King in 2006 and that says a lot.

Until the past couple of years the TE position has basically been another blocker with the exception of a few players in the NFL that were gifted enough to do both. Now with the athletes that are coming out of college, players like King are becoming a thing of the past. Most teams are looking for a duel threat and King isn't really that guy.

[CarolinaKat]

I don't understand the love for Barnidge. I've always liked Rosario. He's made some nice catches over his yrs here. The Jake the snake game winner on opening day is by far his career highlight. I think King also has good hands, He's durable and for certain packages I'd rather him back up Shockey.

Four wide with Rosario in the backfield sounds dangerous. Rosario has also filled in at FB plenty of times. So having him line up in the back field, then have Cam toss a screen pass to him isn't out of the question. King nor Shockey are athletic enough to do that imo

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

But King is not a threat whatsoever after the catch, all his grabs seemed to be under ten yards when he was wide open in the end zone. Any TE in the NFL is going to make that play.

Barnidge has demonstrated that he can gain big chunks of yardage after the catch. I too see King as the odd man out in this new and improved offense.

[Davidson Deac II]

We really can only guess as to what any of our te's can do when they are used in a more te friendly passing game. Rosario has made some nice catches, and some boneheaded plays. King has also made some nice grabs, but seems to be really slow. Barnidge is almost a complete unknown.