5 best fits for the Carolina Panthers on Day 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Pat Freiermuth – TE (Penn State)
The Carolina Panthers have to get better production from their tight ends in 2021. This was a glaring weakness from the first game last season until the campaign came to a conclusion after the team decided not to bring back Greg Olsen and although Dan Arnold should help in this regard, getting a talented young prospect wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.
Kyle Pitts was never going to fall to the Panthers, no matter how much they wanted him. However, Pat Freiermuth did make it out of the first round and represents someone who could really help Carolina from the moment he steps onto the field.
Whether the former Penn State star is going to be around by the time Carolina is on the clock at No. 39 remains to be seen. There are plenty of teams ahead of the Panthers that might identify Freiermuth as a player of interest and he might even go in the very next pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in their bid to put No. 1 selection Trevor Lawrence in the best possible position to succeed.
It’s not hard to see why teams are so impressed with Freiermuth. His ball skills are exceptional, he represents a matchup nightmare, and can also make a real difference either across the middle or in the red zone.
Adding Freiermuth to a passing attack that also includes D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, David Moore, Christian McCaffrey, and Dan Arnold is a mouth-watering proposition. But someone might snap him up before Carolina gets the chance.