ed After a few months of what I’m sure is a whole bunch of paperwork and legal jockeying Will Grier Carolina Panthers Jersey , the sale of the Carolina Panthers became official on Monday, according to an announcement on the team website. New owner David Tepper took the opportunity to address all the stakeholders as this transition comes to a close and he officially steps into the role:On his way out the door, Jerry Richardson also decided it was time to address the people he is leaving behind. If you don’t want to read it, let me save you the time... it is exactly what you think it is. A bunch of thank yous and no acknowledgement or mention of “the troubles” that led to his sale of the team. Chances are good this is the last we’ll ever hear from Richardson until the day he passes. He’s already paid his paltry fine to the league Color Rush Will Grier Jersey , and passed on the opportunity to make any public statement at that time, so I think it is safe to say that you’ll never hear another word about it.Usually a moment like this would lead to reflection and fanfare in a football community, but it won’t this time. Instead of being remembered and revered as the man who founded the Carolina Panthers franchise, he’ll simply be noted as the one who did it. After that Christian McCaffrey Jersey Discount , most of the time someone will follow that up with a footnote about what he did, and how it ended. When you’re a man as wealthy and as old as Richardson, money is no longer all that important. Your legacy is what matters. In the end, the legacy drawn up for JR in this case will not at all line up with what he envisioned. The season was a mixed bag at tight end for the Panthers in 2018."The Panthers’ season at tight end was like a reverse crap sandwich. The middle of the season was actually pretty good Christian McCaffrey Jersey Super Bowl , that being when All Pro Greg Olsen was on the field. The problem is that Olsen was injured early in the season opener and missed the next three games. After he returned he played nine games before re-injuring his foot and missing the rest of the season. But then something surprising happened. Rookie fourth round draft selection Ian Thomas got the start and made good on the opportunity. In six starts and sixteen games total Thomas caught 36 balls for 333 yards and two scores. He gave the Panthers a glimpse of the potential the kid possesses.Even if you agree Thomas could develop into a quality starter at tight end in the NFL I’m sure we all agree we would prefer to see a healthy Greg Olsen return to the line up next season. Good news! It looks like Olsen feels the same way:Curse you little bone! I banish you from Middle Earth!Getting back to the wonderful imagination that is NFL performance grades, here’s how PFF viewed the tight end position in Carolina in 2018:Olsen provided a typical Olsen performance, just not enough of it. Well he has had better seasons on average but I believe him that he really wants to get back to healthy and on the field. Rookie Ian Thomas was stellar at pass blocking and I liked his soft hands receiving. He has to work on his run blocking of course as a tight end but many parts of his game were well advanced as a rookie. Thomas high point came in Week 14 against the Browns when Thomas hauled in nine catches for 77 yards. The kid was on fire. The only thing missing was a score.Thomas would log his first touchdown as a professional in the Week 16 loss to the Falcons. He caught four balls for 48 yards in that one. Thomas then closed out the season with a touchdown on five catches for 68 yards in the win over the Saints. He truly gave us a glimpse of what we hope is an upward career arc.Rounding out the top three is run blocking tight end Chris ‘Puttin On’ Man-hertz. Manhertz is here to block and he was the best of the three at it. Yet Manhertz was not without his offensive moment of the season. Who can forget his 50 yard touchdown on a trick play pass from running back Christian McCaffrey:I’m not sure I’ve ever seen any Panthers player more wide open than Manhertz on that play. More amazing is the Panthers didn’t botch it. Never mind the rest of that wretched game. That play will give our opposing defensive coordinators something more to worry about.