Falcons Camp: Kyle Pitts Goes Big, Hayden Hurst Get Slim

Locked On Falcons: Hayden Hurst Slims Down... Will That Ramp Up Falcons Offense?

Jeremy Brener | Aug 2, 2021

After the Atlanta Falcons acquired Hayden Hurst for a second-round pick last offseason, the team planned to make him the tight end of the future following the departure of Austin Hooper.

In his first season in Atlanta, Hurst celebrated career highs in yards and touchdowns, eclipsing his career totals in both categories.

However, that did not stop the Falcons from selecting Florida tight end Kyle Pitts with the fourth overall pick in last April's NFL Draft. Pitts became the highest-selected tight end in NFL history.

Even with Pitts in the offense, that should not push Hurst to the bench. New head coach Arthur Smith has repeatedly said that he plans to use both tight ends, and history can back that up. Smith loved to use two-TE sets while he was the offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans.

Hurst went on an offseason weight loss program, and in June, he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he was down to 8 percent body fat.

On this episode of "Locked On Falcons," host Aaron Freeman discusses Hurst's role with the offense next to Pitts and what to expect from him in a contract year.

He also talks about the additions of wide receiver J'Mon Moore and outside linebacker Tuzar Skipper and breaks down what the two can bring to the table.

Aaron deals with all that and more on this episode of "Locked On Falcons." For more podcasts and information, join us here.

CONTINUE READING: Atlanta Falcons Have 2 Stars in Madden 22 Ratings

Published Aug 2, 2021

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.