The Carolina Panthers haven't had legitimate stability at the tight end position since Greg Olsen departed for the Seattle Seahawks in 2020 free agency. One NFL analyst believes there is an upcoming opportunity that general manager Dan Morgan would be foolish to ignore.
And it would shake the league to its foundations.
Morgan is about to embark on phase three of his master plan to get the Panthers back into contention. The strides being made are encouraging, so with a few notable tweaks to some problem positions, Carolina could become a real force when the 2026 season arrives.
Carolina Panthers linked to blockbuster free-agent move for Kyle Pitts, and it makes sense
How Morgan goes about this is anyone's guess. He prefers to build through the draft at the skill positions, saving his free-agent money for the trenches. However, Alain Pierre from Last Word on Sports thought the temptation to lure Kyle Pitts from the Atlanta Falcons might prove too tempting to ignore.
"Kyle Pitts remains one of the most intriguing upside bets in the league, and his 2025 production shows why. The big game against the Bucs showed what he can do and provided many fantasy players around the world with a win with his performance. At just 25 years old, Pitts’ combination of size, speed, and route-running ability makes him a matchup nightmare when deployed creatively. In Carolina, he wouldn’t need to be the offense, just a dangerous part of it. If [Isaiah] Likely can not be an option, the top prior for the Tight End slot should be Pitts."Alain Pierre
There is no confirmed interest at this time of year. But if Pitts does end up hitting the open market, expect those in power to have a serious discussion about keeping the former Florida phenom in the NFC South.
Pitts remains productive. He might not have reached his generational tag or ascended from his exceptional rookie year. Still, he'd be a massive upgrade on anything Carolina's had from a pass-catching perspective at the tight end position since Olsen took the league by storm.
However, acquiring him will not be cheap.
Spotrac projects Pitts to command an annual salary of $14.06 million per season on a four-year, $56.26 million deal. This would place him as the fourth-highest paid tight end around the NFL, which might be more than Morgan is willing to commit.
Even so, it wouldn't cost the Panthers anything to inquire about what it would take to bring Pitts on board. And weakening a division rival only sweetens the pot.