The Carolina Panthers are looking to find the pieces needed to cement their status atop the NFC South and potentially go deeper into the playoffs next season.
General manager Dan Morgan knows that his squad is getting closer. He also knows there is a lot of tweaking left to do. The front-office leader wants to be aggressive, but some money needs to be freed up before the Panthers can go after some of the more high-profile names on the market.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely might not be in that category just yet. Even so, one NFL writer believes the Panthers could be the perfect place to propel him into a completely different stratosphere throughout his prime years.
Carolina Panthers could upgrade their TE room with Isaiah Likely in free agency
Sayre Bedinger of NFL Spin Zone thought Likely could fill an underrated offensive need for the Panthers. The player may also find this an intriguing proposition, given that he played college football at Coastal Carolina.
"Speaking of a return back to his roots, how about becoming the top pass-catching option at tight end for a Carolina Panthers offense that desperately needs it? [Isaiah] Likely played his college ball at Coastal Carolina, so perhaps he'd like to return back to the Carolinas and play some of his prime years in front of a fan base that will undoubtedly embrace him."Sayre Bedinger
The Panthers are well-stocked in the tight end room, but there doesn't seem to be a clear-cut No. 1 option. Ja'Tavion Sanders' projected breakout campaign fell by the wayside. Tommy Tremble is a blocking specialist who only flashes in the passing game. Mitchell Evans showed promise as a rookie, but whether he can handle TE1 duties remains to be seen.
Likely performed well when given significant responsibilities in Baltimore, but he's always played second fiddle to Mark Andrews. The Ravens, perhaps surprisingly, gave the veteran a contract extension, so there will never be a better chance for his understudy to step into a potential focal role.
There should be a strong market for Likely. Spotrac projects he will get a two-year, $17.63 million deal in free agency, which equates to $8.81 million per season. This could be a conservative estimate if a bidding war for his services arises. That's off-putting for the Panthers, but it wouldn't hurt to make an inquiry to see what it would take to get him on board.
What that means for the tight ends already around is anyone's guess. But if Morgan believes this move could help the Panthers get over the hump, he won't hesitate to give it the green light.