The Carolina Panthers might be in need of a pass catcher more than ever after losing several key players over the last few seasons, and Michael Crabtree is still available.

Most recently, the Panthers lost Kelvin Benjamin in a trade that sent him to the Buffalo Bills just a couple seasons ago, and now Devin Funchess has gone to the Indianapolis Colts after hitting the free agent market.

Tight end Greg Olsen is the team's last proven pass catcher aside from running back Christian McCaffrey. Olsen is on the brink of retirement at any point after several injuries have plagued him the past few seasons, and McCaffrey is already heavily used by the Panthers.

With the 2019 season approaching, each day the pressure is mounting for the Panthers to address the absence of a pass catcher to help the offense. A veteran wide receiver in Crabtree could be a possible target for Carolina, and the Panthers are a very viable option for Crabtree next season.

Not only does Crabtree fit the team's tendencies to use a big-bodied receiver, but he could also help develop younger receivers like Curtis Samuel and D.J. Moore.

After three successful seasons in Oakland, Crabtree played one season with Baltimore and could have seen things play out a bit better than they did. Crabtree was a focal point in Oakland, but he was not heavily featured in the Raven's run-heavy offensive schemes in 2018. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has become the center piece for the Ravens offense, and he never built much of a bond with any receiver due to his scrambling capabilities.

The Panthers could feature Crabtree in their offense a lot more than Baltimore did, and quarterback Cam Newton loves having a receiver he can throw up a pass to in a jam. Newton will be missing Funchess next season, who appeared to be his favorite target aside from McCaffrey, so it would be a smart move for Carolina to reach out to Crabtree prior to the new season.

Crabtree is only two seasons removed from a career high 89 receptions and 1,003 yards, and his ability to stay healthy in recent years bodes well for inquiring teams.

Carolina is only a few seasons away from their Super Bowl appearance against the Denver Broncos, but they have missed out on reaching the postseason the last two seasons. The franchise is facing a crossroads with their current roster, and while there are talented players on offense, it's pretty clear something is missing. While Crabtree may not be the player he once was, his presence could help get the Panthers back on track for the 2019 season.

Crabtree signed a three-year deal with the Ravens prior to last season, but he was not a fit on Baltimore as the team did not feature him as much as either party envisioned. The Ravens gave him $21 million over three seasons and $11 million guaranteed (although he only played one following his release), so it's not out of the realm of possibilities for Carolina to get a much better deal for him.

The Panthers could very well find themselves competing in the NFC South once again after making the necessary moves going forward, and signing Crabtree could be a nice start