Panthers expected to sign Hayden Hurst to upgrade tight end depth chart

The Carolina Panthers have upgraded their tight end depth chart with a former first-round pick.

Tight end Hayden Hurst is expected to sign a three-year contract with the Panthers following the start of the new league year at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, a league source confirmed to The Observer. NFL Network was first to report the agreement and contract length.

Hurst, who played college football at South Carolina, has the speed to make plays after the catch. The 29-year-old playmaker immediately becomes the team’s most accomplished pass-catching weapon upon the start of free agency, as he has caught 177 passes for 1,718 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career. With the Panthers set to select a quarterback with the first overall pick in April’s draft, Hurst can serve as a pair of trusty hands for the rookie prospect.

Hurst, listed as 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, can be used as a pass-catching complement to Ian Thomas in two-tight end sets. He can also rotate with Tommy Tremble as a pass-catching weapon over the middle.

Hurst, a Jacksonville, Florida, native, was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates coming out of high school. He played two years in the team’s minor league system before joining the Gamecocks in 2015. In three seasons at South Carolina, Hurst caught 100 passes for 1,281 yards and three touchdowns. He ran 4.67-second 40-yard dash at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine and then was selected 25th overall by the Baltimore Ravens that offseason.

Hurst has bounced around a bit during the past few years. He spent two seasons with the Ravens before being traded to the Atlanta Falcons. After two seasons in Atlanta, Hurst hit free agency and spent one season with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Last season, during a 42-21 blowout win for the Bengals against the Panthers, Hurst caught five passes for 35 yards. Hurst finished last season with 52 catches for 414 yards and two touchdowns. In Carolina, Hurst is likely to see more targets, given the lack of proven skill players on offense.

Hurst will be joined by his former Bengals teammate, safety Vonn Bell, in Carolina. Bell, along with defensive tackle Shy Tuttle and quarterback Andy Dalton, also agreed to terms with the Panthers during the league’s “legal tampering period” ahead of free agency.