# Mike Moraitis: Moraitis expects the newly signed Darren Waller, despite being nearly 34, to be Carolina's best tight end as a pass-catcher and athlete, and to be a red-zone/goal-line weapon for Bryce Young, while warning his injury history should temper expectations.

**Claimed:** Aug 14, 2026
**Pundit:** Mike Moraitis — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mike-moraitis
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/panthers/onsi/what-expect-carolina-panthers-signing-darren-waller

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

> the veteran is still a plus pass-catcher and athlete and is better than any of Carolina's other players at the position in both areas

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Darren Waller to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Darren Waller — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/darren-waller
- Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/panthers

## What others said about the same people

- Zachary Pereles on Trevon Diggs: After Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson landed on IR, Pereles argues Carolina must add cornerback help and lists five specific players the Panthers could sign or trade for: Trevon Diggs, Shaun Wade, Tre'Davious White, Kader Kohou and Darrell Luter Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2ca71d82-67b6-4ea9-8b3f-daedb406efc1 (scored 0)
- Zach Roberts on Ja'Seem Reed: Roberts projects the Carolina Panthers' 53-man roster following the Hall of Fame Game, naming every player he expects to make the team at each position, and pegs AJ Dillon as the fourth running back on the depth chart. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/eef72be3-9114-401b-a6e8-2ffc335cc7fb (scored 100)
- Zach Roberts on Ja'Seem Reed: Roberts argues Haynes King's Hall of Fame Game showing means Carolina can't risk exposing him to the practice squad, and says receiver Ja'Seem Reed looks poised to make the 53-man roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3cc9a33c-6ce4-483f-a49d-72ba8a7d7c00 (scored 100)
- Zach Roberts on Ja'Seem Reed: Previewing the Panthers' Hall of Fame Game, Roberts predicts Kenny Pickett starts but plays sparingly with Haynes King getting extensive work, and projects UDFA receiver Ja'Seem Reed and defensive lineman Aaron Hall to make the final 53-man roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/21b93a68-3735-496f-abf0-ed279bbc5c44 (scored 100)
- Nick Wright on Keldric Faulk: Nick Wright unveiled his full 32-pick 2026 NFL mock draft 4.0, starting with Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1 and ending with Avion Terrell to the Seahawks at 32. He also called Carnell Tate the best/safest receiver in the class, projected Ty Simpson inside the top 45, said Mendoza profiles as a low-end top-15 NFL quarterback, and expected the Dolphins to lose 15 games. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3c5ad8a4-034f-4abb-8806-20dd9e44b5c6 (scored 59.46)
- Danny Parkins on Makai Lemon: Danny Parkins presented his one-and-only 2026 mock draft, including trades: Mendoza at 1 to the Raiders, David Bailey second to the Jets, the Cowboys trading up to No. 3 for Arvell Reese, the Bears trading up to 16 for Kadyn Proctor, and Ty Simpson going to Arizona at 32 at the end of round one. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d98bca2f-5fc3-4f68-8389-30f9a2cb906f (scored 95.76)

## More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Christian Booher on Blake Miller: Booher lays out the Lions' projected depth chart for their Week 4 game at Carolina, naming starters, backups and reserves at every position, and suggests safety Bishop Fitzgerald could make his debut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/de49ff55-54a5-4410-ba7c-0b7e1f1a2f68 (scored 0)
- Carter Bahns on Shedeur Sanders: Bahns calls it reality that Shedeur Sanders will take over as Cleveland's starting quarterback by Week 4, with Deshaun Watson set to fail. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/18802de8-941e-4551-b6e3-df7a752020b6 (scored 0)
- Carter Bahns on Shedeur Sanders: A CBS Sports preseason overreaction column argues Shedeur Sanders will take over as Cleveland's starting quarterback by Week 4, that Ja'Kobi Lane has a real path to a No. 2 receiver role as a rookie, and that Kenneth Walker III is a legitimate lead back atop the Chiefs' depth chart. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e82d31e3-169f-4419-a38c-ceaaa1d053a7 (scored 0)
- Garrett Podell on Case Keenum: Podell ranks all 32 current NFL starting quarterbacks entering Week 3 of the 2026 season, with Josh Allen first, Patrick Mahomes second and Case Keenum last. He also expects Kyler Murray and Michael Penix Jr. to return to action in Week 3 and Case Keenum to possibly start for the Bears. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0e92b59e-0dd1-43c3-80c1-6551a8b641ac (scored 100)
- Fox Sports on Case Keenum: A roundup of NFC injury news expects Jameis Winston to start for the Giants in any games Jaxson Dart misses, and suggests third-stringer Case Keenum could end up starting for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3 with both Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent sidelined. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3aff6d9f-b997-480e-b323-740b6a4677ed (scored 100)
- Fox Sports on Case Keenum: With Caleb Williams injured and Tyson Bagent in concussion protocol, third-string quarterback Case Keenum is expected to start for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7726bb2f-b9aa-4c35-aa7b-e0b49990e867 (scored 100)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

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