4 NFL Draft prospects who could help Teddy Bridgewater in 2021
By Dean Jones
Kyle Pitts – TE (Florida)
One area that impacted Teddy Bridgewater in a detrimental way during the 2020 season was a lack of production from the tight end position. The Carolina Panthers opted not to use Ian Thomas or Chris Manhertz in the passing game consistently, with the duo becoming afterthoughts in Joe Brady’s gameplan to such an extent that one was left wondering whether they were both in the dog house for some reason.
This is not in the expected script when Carolina decided to let prolific veteran Greg Olsen take his chances elsewhere in free agency. Not having a reliable tight end with the ability to catch over the middle played a leading role in Bridgewater’s demise and getting a better option should be a top priority this offseason.
Kyle Pitts would change this in an instant.
The Florida stud has the game-changing skill set that is going to make him an NFL star in no time at all. He can line up anywhere in the passing game and has the sort of athleticism that makes him an absolute nightmare to cover.
Couple this with a surprisingly good blocking technique on running downs and few would argue he represents a significant upgrade on what Carolina currently has at the position.
Whether positional importance will play a factor in any decision to take him at No. 8 overall remains to be seen. But with Curtis Samuel likely to depart in free agency, another dynamic weapon on offense will be essential.