Former Falcons TE signing with Panthers in free agency

The Carolina Panthers are signing former Atlanta Falcons tight end Feleipe Franks, according to a report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz . Franks, 28, signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2021 and spent his first two seasons in Atlanta. Despite playing quarterback in college, Franks switched to the tight end position under former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.

In 2024, Franks signed with the Panthers and appeared in 16 games. He returned to Atlanta last season and was active for all 17 games, primarily contributing on special teams. Over four NFL seasons, Franks has recorded one catch for 12 yards, and 10 career rushing yards on six attempts.

Atlanta did not re-sign Franks after the 2025 season. Instead, the team franchise-tagged Kyle Pitts and signed former Falcons tight end Austin Hooper in free agency. The Falcons also completed a trade on Friday afternoon, swapping fourth- and sixth-round picks with the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for safety Sydney Brown.

Follow along with all of the team's offseason moves using our Falcons free agency live tracker ! This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Former Falcons TE Feleipe Franks to sign with Panthers