Hayden Hurst Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers sign away Cincinnati Bengals fan favorite

By Aaron Becker | Last updated 3/15/23

Bengals fans have been forced to sit and watch some of their top free agents sign with other teams to start free agency. Now the Panthers have taken a player after just one year in Cincinnati.

Carolina agreed to sign TE Hayden Hurst to a three-year deal today after some were hoping he would resign with the Bengals.

Panthers to sign TE Hayden Hurst to three-year deal. (via @rapsheet, @mikegarafolo) pic.twitter.com/lpVo48mZxL
— NFL (@NFL) March 15, 2023

The 29-year-old is coming off of the second-best season of his career. He had 52 catches for 414 yards and two touchdowns in 2022.

Now Cincinnati has another position to fill with what's either left in free agency or through the Draft.

Tight ends Dalton Schultz (4) and Mike Gesicki (18) are highlighted in the top 20 of Pro Football Focus' best remaining free agents. However, with the team preparing to pay QB Joe Burrow, it's likely it will look to the 2023 NFL Draft to address the position.

It does seem to be a deep Draft class at tight end and the Bengals should be able to land one with pick No. 28, 60 or 92.

Four tight ends rank in the top 50 prospects on PFF's big board and the favorite to land in Cincinnati has been Notre Dame's Michael Mayer.

Mayer had 138 catches for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns over the last two years. If the Bengals can land the 21-year-old, he would likely fill the void Hurst left and then some.

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