Carolina Panthers to Replace Shockey's Output in Passing Game with Mike Tolbert

The loss of tight end Jeremy Shockey and the addition of fullback Mike Tolbert have caused a big-time shuffle on the Carolina roster.

Last season the tight end combination of Shockey and Greg Olsen put up nine touchdowns and 995 yards receiving for the Panthers. Shockey wasn’t re-signed, but head coach Ron Rivera feels that his output can be duplicated.

That duplication won’t come from a tight end, however. Tolbert will fill in, according to the Charlotte Observer.

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"Some of the things Mike brings are some of the things that Jeremy did," Rivera said. "What that does is that it allows Greg to do some of the Jeremy stuff from last year as well as his own game. It’s a good mix, and adding Mike has given us a little more flexibility."

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Shockey, by himself, caught four touchdown passes and amassed 455 yards through the air. Tolbert, in San Diego last season, caught two touchdown passes and went for 433 through the air. Tolbert caught 17 more passes.

Tolbert also carried the ball 121 times for the Chargers last year, but Rivera said when Tolbert was signed that DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart had nothing to worry about, their touches were safe.

Reading between the lines is easy. The Panthers want Tolbert to be a ball-catching threat out of the backfield; someone to replace Shockey’s receiving output even though he’s not a tight end.

But who’s going to perform Shockey’s blocking detail, an aspect of the tight end position Tolbert can’t handle?

While Tolbert can block for Williams and Stewart, being in position to mirror some of the blocking schemes Shockey handled last year would be tough.

That’s where the backup tight end will fit in.

Ben Hartsock is one of the cadre of tight ends looking to fill the void left by Shockey on the tight end depth chart. Gary Barnidge is another.

Hartsock is a blocking tight end, which is his specialty. He hasn’t caught a pass since 2010, and back then he caught one that year and one the year prior.

Barnidge hasn’t participated fully since 2010, and an ankle injury kept him out last year.

Hartsock has the edge as a very astute blocker. Barnidge is more of an all-purpose tight end. Which one will be used more frequently?

Rivera told the Observer that he’ll carry five tight ends again in 2012, seemingly assuring both Hartsock and Barnidge a roster spot. Rivera also said he’s leaning toward a committee approach for the backup tight end spot.

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"It’s kind of up in the air. The thing with (offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski) is that he likes guys that can do a bit of everything," Hartsock said. "That’s why Mike is here. That’s why Gary Barnidge is doing what he does. We each have our own strong suit but we all are asked to do other things."

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Tolbert is going to be the guy to get Shockey’s receptions and possibly even his touchdowns. Whether the Panthers go with a blocker or an all-purpose backup tight end remains to be seen.