With news that the Cincinnati Bengals will use the franchise tag on Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman is now unquestionably the best wide receiver set to hit free agency. Even if Higgins does make it to the open market, there is a case to be made that Pittman deserves the larger contract. Originally selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the USC product is coming off what might just be the best year of his career. Playing in 16 games, the wideout finished the season with 109 receptions for 1,152 yards and four touchdowns, and he did it all while catching passes from a backup quarterback in Gardner Minshew.
This is far from a one-year outlier. Ever since entering the league, Pittman has been remarkably reliable regardless of who is under center. Whether it’s an aging Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Anthony Richardson, or Minshew, Michael Pittman has the body of work to justify a massive contract in free agency. While he could still return to the Colts, he’s not going to take a hometown discount to stay in town.
This report comes straight from the receiver himself. Speaking about his impending free agency, Michael Pittman said that he “won’t sacrifice my career potential for comfortability.” This is a straightforward way of saying he’s after the largest paycheck he can get, and it’s hard to blame him for this. NFL players have an incredibly small window of earning opportunity, so nobody should blame Pittman for trying to get every cent he can in a violent sport where one bad snap could derail his entire career.
Michael Pittman Chasing Highest Bidder In Free Agency
Based on Pittman’s comments, it’s safe to say the free agent will return to Indianapolis if they’re the highest bidder. By all accounts, the wideout seems to enjoy the Colts, and his comments imply that he finds some comfort in Indianapolis. The Colts have $66.3 million in cap space, so they certainly have the financial ability to keep him around for the foreseeable future. With this in mind, there is a real chance that Michael Pittman never leaves in free agency.
However, with this in mind, some teams tend to go wild on the open market. The Colts will have Anthony Richardson under center in 2024, and the Florida product’s mobility means that wide receivers won’t be as important for Indianapolis. Seeing as there are not enough good wide receivers to go around, there is a chance that a team is willing to outbid the Colts for Michael Pittman in free agency. In no particular order, these five teams make the most sense as potential destinations.
Best Free Agent Fits
New England Patriots
Mac Jones is out in New England, which means there’s going to be a new quarterback under center in 2024. However, regardless of who it is, they’re going to have a hard time finding success without improved offensive weapons. Demario Douglas showed plenty of promise as a rookie, but they could use someone like Michael Pittman in free agency to help develop their next potential franchise savior. Pittman has a long history of remaining productive with subpar quarterbacks, so even if New England’s quarterback has some growing pains, Pittman should remain a productive and reliable option in the passing game.
Carolina Panthers
The fate of the Carolina Panthers rests in Bryce Young’s hands, which means that they need to give him the tools to succeed. The Alabama product had a rough rookie season, but there aren’t many quarterbacks who could have survived with Carolina’s atrocious supporting cast. The Panthers need to add the best wide receiver available in free agency, and that’s probably going to be Michael Pittman. The wideout won’t fix every issue on his own, but signing him and drafting someone like Ladd McConkey could give Young all the support he needs to succeed.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have a great wide receiver in D.J. Moore and will probably draft an elite quarterback prospect in Caleb Williams. This team has the resources to make it to the playoffs in 2024, but if they want to keep up with the elite teams in the NFC, they’ll need another wide receiver. Moore and Michael Pittman could form one of the better wide receiver duos in the NFL, and the Bears have the cap space required to sign him in free agency.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are going to give Will Levis a chance to establish himself as a franchise quarterback in 2024. However, if the team wants him to succeed, they’ll need to add a lot of talent on offense. DeAndre Hopkins is still a good player, but he’s on the wrong side of 30 and isn’t getting any younger. Michael Pittman is the ideal free agency signing and would provide the team with the best target since A.J. Brown. While he won’t fix the offensive line, he can give Levis a reliable target on all three levels of the field.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens gave Lamar Jackson a real wide receiver in Zay Flowers, and he responded by winning the MVP for the second time in his career. With Odell Beckham set to hit free agency and Flowers under investigation for domestic assault, this team might need to sign someone like Michael Pittman in free agency. The biggest obstacle here is money, as Baltimore will have a tough time signing Pittman while also taking care of their own free agents.
Main Photo: Robert Scheer – USA Today Sports
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