Steelers' Darnell Washington Extension Could Help Panthers Out

Whenever a team brings in a young player at a position, it often spells doom for the veterans at that spot. For the Carolina Panthers, Monroe Freeling, Sam Hecht, Zakee Wheatley, and Chris Brazzell are all poised to take spots from established multi-year veterans.

Down the line, when those young players get contract extensions, it makes the veterans around them even more expendable. The Pittsburgh Steelers just committed four years and $42 million, with $21 million guaranteed, to young tight end Darnell Washington.

That could make Pat Freiermuth, a player whose name has been in trade chatter before, available, and the Panthers, in case you haven't heard, really need a tight end.

It would be easier for the Panthers to trade for Pat Freiermuth now

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) makes a catch against the Baltimore Ravens | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers believe the massive, athletic Darnell Washington is the future at tight end. They signed him to a four-year, $42 million deal, which doesn't bode well for Pat Freiermuth's future prospects with the team.

The Panthers need a tight end, and several teams have options that make sense in a trade. The Steelers were always one of the teams with enough TE depth to theoretically help the Panthers out there. Now, it makes all the more sense.

Freiermuth would absolutely be the best tight end the Panthers have had in a long time, and he'd be a legitimate weapon for Bryce Young in the passing game. He probably wouldn't cost much, especially with Washington's new contract.

Ultimately, it's the same reason Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet was pitched as a trade target for the Panthers. They brought in Colston Loveland and Sam Roush in two consecutive drafts, making him expendable.

Right now, neither he nor Freiermuth seems imminently available, but we suspect that the Panthers could get something done if they pushed for it on both fronts. It, unfortunately, seems like they're not going to push for it, though.

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet (85) catches a fourteen-yard touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Caleb Williams | David Banks-Imagn Images

GM Dan Morgan doesn't seem to believe the Panthers need to add a tight end right now because he's had plenty of chances to do so and hasn't. He probably knows it's a weakness, but teams can't address every single hole they have on the roster in one offseason, and tight end drew the short end of the stick again.

For now, it remains unlikely, but that's not because of a lack of options. If the Panthers wanted to, they could trade for Freiermuth, Kmet, or even sign Jonnu Smith or Zach Ertz. They just may not.

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