Falcon Report

Falcons Projected to Trade Offensive 'Misfit'

Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer predicted the Atlanta Falcons to trade one of the highest drafted players in the franchise's history.

Dave Holcomb

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
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The Atlanta Falcons hope to be able to trade quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason. But the possibility of trading tight end Kyle Pitts as well continues to gain momentum.

Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer included Pitts on his NFL bold offseason trade predictions list on Feb. 19. Iyer projected the Falcons to deal Pitts to the Kansas City Chiefs.

"This might be a good proactive move for Kansas City regardless of whether Travis Kelce decides to retire this offseason," Iyer wrote. "Pitts has been a misfit in Atlanta through multiple offensive coordinators, and Michael Penix Jr. also doesn't seem like a quarterback with which he can mesh.

"Everyone can click with Patrick Mahomes, and Pitts is the kind of untapped, athletic target who Andy Reid can get the best from in his system."

Pitts didn't seem to be an offensive misfit when the Falcons took him No. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL draft. He set rookie tight end records with 68 catches and 1,026 yards with Matt Ryan behind center during 2021.

At the time, Pitts appeared to be the tight end mismatch a lot of great NFL offenses feature nowadays. Pitts was too fast for a linebacker but also just as athletic as a cornerback.

The opposite, though, has been the case since his 2022 knee injury. Pitts has been too slow to break away from defensive backs while he's struggled with the physicality of linebackers.

The Falcons have also dealt with plenty of quarterback issues. Put altogether, Pitts has averaged just 36.9 receiving yards per game over his last 44 contests.

Pitts is a trade candidate this offseason because he will enter 2025 on the final year of his rookie deal. It's the fifth-year option worth about $10.8 million.

If the Falcons trade Pitts this offseason, they will save his entire salary against the cap. While the NFL announced on Feb. 19 that the cap would rise to $281.5 million, the Falcons remain over the salary cap.

Dealing Pitts would help alleviate that problem. The Falcons could also replenish their depleted draft capital for 2025.

Trading Pitts was unthinkable for the Falcons a couple years ago. This century, he's the third-highest pick in Falcons history behind only Ryan and Michael Vick.

Pitts also made history as the highest drafted tight end in NFL history.

After a couple disappointing seasons, though, it makes sense for the Falcons to be proactive and shop Pitts ahead of the 2025 season.

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Dave Holcomb
DAVE HOLCOMB

Dave is a staff writer at Falcon Report. He also writes at Yardbarker, Southern Pigskin, Cox Media, and Rotowire. Follow him on Twitter @dmholcomb.