Is Kyle Pitts Falcons' Best Player? QB Kirk Cousins Says Yes

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts will enter the 2024 season healthy -- and with high expectations.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts drew praise from quarterback Kirk Cousins and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons' rebuilt roster has many standouts, be it a pair of reigning All-Pro selections in safety Jessie Bates III and right guard Chris Lindstrom, four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins or phenom running back Bijan Robinson.

But the team's best player?

Tight end Kyle Pitts, according to Cousins, who said as such in his press conference Wednesday while discussing the importance of Pitts to Atlanta's offense.

"I think our best player has got to be on the field for us to be who we want to be," Cousins said. "Kyle's got a lot of ability. I just think it's a great opportunity for him, for our offense this year, to really be playmakers and we’ve got to have him out there."

Cousins added he held a conversation about Pitts with one of Atlanta's defensive backs walking off the practice field Wednesday. The defensive back, who covered Pitts in the session, spoke his mind about how good Pitts can be this fall. Cousins concurred.

"Not to divulge too much, but he was just saying how talented Kyle can be and how much he can really threaten a defensive back," Cousins said. "I agree wholeheartedly, so it'll be exciting to get him out there and get him going."

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The 23-year-old Pitts missed two snaps in Wednesday's practice, which led him to be officially listed as "limited" on the availability report due to a two weeks-old hamstring injury.

But Pitts told reporters Wednesday he'd play in Sunday's season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Falcons coach Raheem Morris said he had no concerns about Pitts' injury lingering. Pitts was a full-go in practice Thursday.

As such, Pitts appears poised to get his opportunity to show the rest of the league what Cousins has seen this summer -- and what Pitts showed in glimpses as a rookie.

In 2021, Pitts became the highest drafted tight end in league history at No. 4 overall - and delivered on the hype, earning a Pro Bowl nod. He became just the second rookie tight end of all time to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards.

However, he had a down 2022 season that ended prematurely with a knee injury, and he still wasn't fully healthy by the time the 2023 season began, with his condition worsening as the year progressed. Quarterback play was subpar each season.

From 2022-23, Pitts played in 27 games, totaling 81 receptions for 1,023 yards and five touchdowns.

But the Falcons are optimistic Pitts, who had his fifth-year option picked up in April and has enjoyed a steady summer spent building chemistry with Cousins, is in line for a resurgent 2024. And perhaps most importantly, Atlanta anticipates a healthy version of Pitts on the field Sunday.

"His speed, how fast he can play with his size, and the things he can do in the pass game and in the run game is going to be a huge value for us," Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said Wednesday. "But absolutely, he's going to have a big role, whether it's as a blocker, as a receiver, all those things that he's able to do.

"He brings a ton of versatility. So, him being full go and being full speed will be a big deal."

The Falcons and Steelers are set to kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.