The Falcons have a lot to do this offseason, and somewhere on the to-do list is Kyle Pitts.
Kirk Cousins will dominate headlines. Atlanta has to decide whether to cut, trade, or keep the veteran. The financial ramifications for each of those options will certainly factor into Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot’s decision, but it’s far from the only thing the pair will have to tackle this offseason.
The search for a defensive coordinator continues, with interviews ongoing, but that’s only the first step in completely overhauling the defense, something that we’ve seemingly said every offseason. The Falcons defense is a clear liability. From the front seven to the secondary, each level of the defense needs an infusion of talent.
But squeezed in the middle of all of that is little ole’ Kyle Pitts, who is the subject of trade speculation already. There’s no getting around it: the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history hasn’t lived up to the billing.
Pitts is entering the final year of his contract, a fifth-year option that is guaranteed to pay him just south of $11 million. He finished the season with a little over 600 yards receiving, good for 13th among tight ends and 66th among all players. He’s simply not been good enough.
“When you take a player that high, obviously you expect a certain level,” Terry Fontenot said in his end of season press conference. “We understand Kyle had a really good rookie year and it hasn’t equaled that since then. There are no excuses we’re making about it.”
Since coming into the league in 2021, Kyle Pitts ranks 11th among tight ends in yards per game and 27th in touchdowns, according to Josh Kendall, who also pointed out how productive Ja’Marr Chase, the fifth draft pick in the 2021 cycle, has been in that same period — “third in receiving yards (87.5) and first in receiving touchdowns (.74) per game since 2021.”
There has been no indication that the Falcons are considering a trade, but the speculation is warranted. It’s not just fans either. ESPN’s Ben Solak is predicting a blockbuster Falcons trade this offseason, one that sends Pitts to the Bengals for a measly Day 3 pick.
Big prediction for the offseason: Tight end Kyle Pitts is due $10.8 million on the final year of his deal in 2025. Can the Falcons get more for him in a trade than they would in a compensatory pick after he leaves in free agency? I think they could, as he has a rosier future on an offense that actually fits his skill set. My prediction: Pitts will get dealt to the Bengals for a Day 3 pick. — Solak
Joe Burrow has had a lot of success helping underwhelming tight ends experience a career resurgence — CJ Uzomah, Hayden Hurst, and Mike Gesicki. It helps when you have the best receiver in football, Ja’Marr Chase, commanding the defense’s attention, along with Tee Higgins.
It would be the perfect fit for Kyle Pitts, but it might be a difficult pill to swallow if you’re the Atlanta Falcons. The sunk cost fallacy comes into play here, and it’s worth mulling over. A lot of fans are over it. I understand that. Would you rather save the almost $11 million right now and recoup some draft capital or run the risk of letting Pitts walk for absolutely nothing in a year’s time? It could be worth a gamble to see Kyle Pitts in a full season with Michael Penix Jr.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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