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Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. against the Arizona Cardinals. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Carolina Panthers should consider potential superstar in free agency

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jan 21, 2026 6:00 AM ET

The Carolina Panthers are in need of some upgrades on offense this offseason, especially at the tight end position.

The Panthers could benefit from a big target in the middle of the field, and they may be able to find one in Atlanta Falcons former top pick Kyle Pitts.

Pitts, 25, is a free agent after spending the first five seasons of his career with the Falcons. Now, he could be looking for a new home and the Panthers could provide one.

"The Atlanta Falcons tight end managed to bounce back in 2025 by notching career highs in catches (88), targets (118) and touchdowns (five) while tallying a solid 928 yards this past season, but those marks still fell short of initial expectations for a player many touted as a generational prospect a half-decade ago," Bleacher Report writer Alex Kay wrote.

"Although Pitts hasn't had the best start to his career, it isn't too late for him to realize his incredible potential and reach his ceiling.

"It's worth noting he won't turn 26 years old until October. He still possesses all the unteachable qualities—including uncannily smooth athleticism for a tight end who stands at 6'6", 250 pounds—that helped him come off the board so early in the 2021 draft. He's been blessed with good health for most of his career, only missing time with hamstring and knee issues during his sophomore season."

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Pitts could fit with Panthers in free agency

It would be ballsy to poach a free agent from a division rival, but Pitts is exactly what the Panthers should be looking for. The team needs to add a high-level tight end at some point in the offseason, whether it be free agency or the draft, and Pitts checks off that box for the Panthers.

The Panthers have wide receivers galore with Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette along with Jalen Coker, but adding a tight end to make the group whole could be what the Panthers need to take their offense to the next level.

While Pitts didn't necessarily reach the potential he had before entering the league, there's reason to believe the best has yet to come for him.

"Pitts' lack of production can largely be pinned on Atlanta's glaring quarterback issues over the past four years, as well as former head coach Arthur Smith's offensive scheming that largely deemphasized the tight end position following Matt Ryan's departure after the 2021 season," Kay wrote.

"Joining forces with a coaching staff that understands how to deploy a pass-catching tight end effectively will almost certainly result in a career year for Pitts, potentially even launching him into true superstardom."

The Panthers don't exactly have the best track record with tight ends, especially with Dave Canales in the last two years. It's also possible that he hasn't had one worthy of as high of a volume that Pitts could provide.

Needless to say, the Panthers are forming some tight end plan, and it wouldn't be a huge surprise if they reach out to Pitts to try to be part of it.