4 big Carolina Panthers storylines to watch at the Falcons in Week 8
By Dean Jones
How the Carolina Panthers handle Kyle Pitts
It appears as if the hype was real where Kyle Pitts is concerned. The tight end came into the NFL as arguably the best prospect in the 2021 draft class and after a slow start, the Florida product is lighting it up for the Atlanta Falcons.
The No. 4 overall selection is a supreme mismatch problem. Not only this, but Pitts literally catches everything thrown his way and unless the Carolina Panthers come up with a solution to counteract his threat, it’s going to be another long afternoon.
Allowing a linebacker to cover Pitts is simply not an option. He is not your average tight end.
It’s going to take a collective effort with a number of players with the potential to line up against Pitts. It’s just the shame Jaycee Horn isn’t available to shadow someone who is clearly a generational talent.
The likes of Jeremy Chinn, Keith Taylor Jr., A.J. Bouye, and even Stephon Gilmore could take on this responsibility depending on where Pitts is on the line of scrimmage. C.J. Henderson – his former teammate on the Gators – is another option that cannot be ignored.
No matter who the Panthers end up utilizing, the task to keep Pitts quiet is a challenging one. Especially considering he’s brought in 16 receptions for 282 receiving yards and one touchdown over the last two games.