CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A group of Carolina Panthers fans stood behind the temporary barrier outside the practice fields Thursday morning, several holding items to be autographed.At least one of them was waiting for Darren Waller. He asked a reporter when the newly acquired tight end would be leaving practice. Waller had not yet gone through his physical or signed his contract at that point, so he wouldn’t be coming by — a league source said Waller plans to sign Monday pending his physical.It’s hard to fault the guy’s enthusiasm. Panthers fans have been waiting for an impact tight end to arrive since Greg Olsen was released in 2020 before the start of the Matt Rhule era.The post-Olsen years have been a fallow period for Panthers tight ends, spanning the tenures of three head coaches and a dozen or so tight ends. With the exception of veteran Hayden Hurst in 2023, the Panthers have tried to fill the Olsen void via middle- to late-round draft picks like Ian Thomas, Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans.That strategy hasn’t produced much.What's the best-case scenario for Carolina Panthers in 2026?Robert MaysThe Panthers’ 319 receptions by tight ends are the fewest in the NFL since the start of the 2020 season, according to TruMedia’s Jason Starrett. Every other team had more than 400 catches by tight ends over the same span. The New York Jets had the second-fewest receptions with 411.Carolina’s tight ends have accounted for less than 15 percent of the team’s targets since 2020, the smallest share in the NFL. The league average was 21 percent between 2020-25.So taking a low-cost, dart throw on a street free agent who was among the league’s best receiving tight ends for a two-year stretch isn’t the worst idea, even if Waller has been hurt or retired for much of the past two years and will turn 34 in September.Dave Canales mistakenly added two years on to Waller’s age Thursday. But the Panthers coach knew Waller’s height to a fraction, mentioning it twice in an eight-minute session with reporters.“With Darren, he brings 6 foot, 6 1/2 and he still can run,” Canales said. “He could be 36 (sic) in September. But if you put on the film from last year, he’s playing at a high level.”Canales has seen the Week 5 film a few times. What he saw was Waller — in his second game post-retirement — catching all five of his targets for 78 yards and a touchdown for the Miami Dolphins in the Panthers’ 27-24 win at Bank of America Stadium.“Just watching him over the years — he had a fantastic game here when they came last season and made some big plays against us,” Canales said.Waller was a wide receiver at Georgia Tech and could help fill the role the Panthers envisioned for wideout Chris Brazzell before the rookie went down with a season-ending knee injury.“I’m excited about adding that (size-speed) part,” Canales said. “Chris Brazzell was here for that reason as well — to stretch the field, be that big target.”