Things could get interesting in the NFC South heading into the 2025 season. In-division trades don’t usually occur, but Bleacher Report proposed a unique idea for the Carolina Panthers.
Knowing the Atlanta Falcons situation, trade picks come at a premium. The Panthers may not want to help their division rival gain ground in the coming years, but Dave Canales’ squad may need to act fast after going 0-3 in the preseason.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay Sends Falcons’ Kyle Pitts to the Panthers for a 2026 Third-Round Pick
Kyle Pitts name is thrown around every year but the Falcons never seem to entertain any offers. While it’s not a premier draft pick, plenty of top players have come out of the third round. If anything, it’s something for the Falcons to think about.
Currently, Bryce Young has Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Mitchell Evans, and James Mitchell as tight ends. Whether all four of those make the roster remains to be seen as cut day is quickly approaching.
Fun fact: Tommy Tremble has more career TDs than Kyle Pitts pic.twitter.com/ICmHWyNytM
— Unnecessary Bluntness Owner/Coach/QB (@DuncOnDemand) April 9, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Tremble was activated off the PUP list on Thursday, August 21. He was the team’s No. 83 overall pick in 2021. Last season he tied his career high with 23 receptions, though he set a career high with 234 yards. He has nine touchdowns in his first four seasons with the team.
Sanders outperformed Tremble in his rookie season. The 2024 No. 101 overall pick had 33 receptions for 342 yards, though he finished with just one touchdown. Evans was a 2025 5th round pick as he had one reception for five yards in the preseason. Mitchell played on the Detroit Lions in 2022-23, having just 28 yards since the 2023 season.
Carolina has one draft pick in all seven rounds for 2026. Should they decide to trade their third-rounder, they would still have six selections to make.
Alex Kay’s Explains The In-Division Trade
Kay wrote, “With the middling Tommy Tremble set to start with Ja’Tavion Sanders backing him up at the position, Carolina could use an upgrade who can work as Young’s safety valve and preferred red-area target.”
“Kyle Pitts fits the bill as a buy-low, high-value trade target who would become a featured part of the Panthers’ passing attack,” she believes.
Kyle Pitts (Left Slot) absolutely cooking the Panthers defender who had outside leverage on the out route. pic.twitter.com/k5JxR8y2uB
— YardsAfterContract (@YrdAftrContract) May 21, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The 2021 Pro Bowler has seen his number of touchdowns go up by one each season. After recording just one touchdown in his 1,026 yard rookie season, a 2022 injury set the Florida graduate back. Ultimately, he has just 243 yards in 2023-24 compared to what he had in his rookie season alone.
“While Pitts hasn’t played at a Pro Bowl level since his rookie season and has regressed significantly from that impressive debut due to injuries and other factors, he’s still oozing upside and could return to form quickly following a trade,” Kay added.
Atlanta would have no issue adding a few draft picks to their 2026 slate. Currently, they are missing their 1st and 5th round picks. Adding another 3rd rounder wouldn’t make up for not having their 1st round pick, but it would give them a chance to get back in the right direction.
Should Pitts be traded, Charlie Woerner would be Michael Penix Jr.’s TE1. Teagan Quitoriano and Feleipe Franks are the other tight ends on Atlanta’s roster.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Rare In-Division Trade Proposal Sends Former No. 4 Overall Tight End to Panthers appeared first on Heavy Sports.