NFL Rumors: Brandon Pettigrew to ask for Dennis Pitta money in free agency
By Josh Hill
The market for free agent tight ends seems to have been set with the Baltimore Ravens handing Dennis Pitta a fat new contract last week. While not all tight ends are on Pitta’s level, some may come close and Detroit Lions free agent tight end Brandon Pettigrew now knows what number he wants to match on his new contract.
While nothing has formally been asked of by Pettigrew, ESPN.com blogger Michael Rothstein believes that Pettigrew will ask for Pitta money from the Lions — or anyone else — since he put up better numbers than the Ravens tight end did in 2013.
"Pettigrew actually put together better statistics than Pitta during the overlapping parts of their careers — Pettigrew has one more year of service than Pitta — but they are capable of doing similar things. Both are tight ends who are considered dual-purpose, meaning they can block and catch, so that helps set the market even further."
Rothstein also points out that with Pitta and New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham now returning to their teams, Pettigrew could fetch a fat contract as the best tight end in free agency.
Either way, the market has been set and Pettigrew is seeing dollar signs everywhere he looks.