Tight end Kyle Pitts enters the last year of his rookie contract with a lot of question marks. He’s dealing with a muscle strain in his foot, which is keeping him on the sidelines. With that, the Atlanta Falcons are facing the OTAs with a crucial piece missing from their roster. But as Michael Penix Jr. gears up for the new season without one of his TEs, there’s also been a revelation around Pitts that’s turning some heads around the league.
When Kyle Pitts came to the 2021 draft, he had all the hype that came along with his first-round, 4th overall pick. But as the seasons progressed, that hype quickly died down. And now, it looks like the former Falcons QB Matt Ryan wasn’t all-in with Kyle Pitts. It is interesting to note that the most productive season Pitts had was when Ryan was throwing to him in 2021. But as per recent updates, Pitts may not have been Ryan’s go-to guy after all. So, what’s this all about?
Mike Florio and Chris Simms recently discussed the Kyle Pitts scenario. And one of Florio’s sources made the reveal. As Florio put it, “The issue with Kyle is he’s hard to throw to because he doesn’t have a natural feel and route craft… Also Matt Ryan. Matt Ryan was not a big fan of Kyle Pitts. Ryan figured out how to throw to him and helped him get to the Pro Bowl in his rookie year.” But with this revelation, it looks like Ryan didn’t want to throw to Pitts after all. But does it all add up? Ryan had highlighted Pitts as a “standout” athlete at one point. Even at the start of May this year, Ryan had doubled down on Pitts with, “I am still a believer in Kyle Pitts having played with him, I mean this, he can be productive.” Pitts’ numbers tell a different story, though.
Feb 1, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) answers questions at a press conference for Super Bowl LI at Westin Houston Memorial City Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
In his rookie 2021 season, Kyle Pitts amassed 1,026 yards, but with only 1 TD. He even credited his rookie year success to Matt Ryan. As he had notably said, “I appreciated Matt for my first year, and him introducing me to the NFL, starting my career off like that. – On the field, just different ways to try and take care of your body, mentally lock in, how he prepared in his younger years, and places where he messed up where he’s telling me not to mess up.” But as Matt Ryan moved to the Colts, Pitts’ numbers dropped significantly. A hamstring injury, along with a knee injury in 2022, sidelined him a lot, and he only stacked 356 yards and 2 TDs. Even the last two seasons left a lot to be desired. He only had 667 and 602 yards with 7 TDs total from both seasons.
Chris Simms shared a similar take before Florio’s revelation. “That first year, they force fed him the ball all year… they really made it an emphasis to get them the ball. And then… it’s been injuries. The inability to kind of get open on a consistent basis. And not really producing to the capacity of what we expect out of a top 10 pick.” As Florio and Simms see it, the numbers do not justify the first-round hype Pitts had generated back in 2021. And now, he finds himself surrounded by a lot of questions. A trade scenario has also been floated for Pitts amidst this mix of optimism and skepticism. But with Atlanta’s trading stances, fans and analysts are wondering if that can even be in the works.
The trade situation for Kyle Pitts
There has been a lot of trade buzz going around for Kyle Pitts. Many teams have contacted the Falcons’ front office, inquiring about potential trade possibilities. But with a team like the Falcons, nothing comes that easy. As Ari Meirov recently reported, “I know there’s reports out there that Falcons won’t do it unless they get a day two pick.” A day 2 pick, along with Kyle Pitts’ salary (he’s set to make north of $8 million this year) has made the situation rather tricky. Despite the interest in Pitts, whether teams want to match the demands of the Falcons still remains to be seen.
As Ari Meirov said, “this is a team who is very, very, very difficult when it comes to the trade market.” Just look at the similar Kirk Cousins situation. Kirk Cousins wants to play for other teams, but the only way that will happen is if a team pays $20 million out of his guaranteed $45 million. There’s also a draft pick demand for the Kirk Cousins trade. While Pitts might be happy to go somewhere else, the Falcons are not going to let him go without a big offer. Meirov further added, “the only way Falcons are actually going to go out of here and actually consider a trade is if they get an offer that is impossible to refuse…” So, a trade isn’t entirely out of the equation. It will depend on what the other team gives up in return for Pitts. But are the teams considering that?
The really “crazy offer” may not be possible for the Falcons as it’s “unlikely to happen considering the salary and the production to this point in his career.” For Kyle Pitts, entering his last year of contract, it looks like a stalemate. Without a tempting offer, the Falcons’ front office will reject any trade request that comes their way. So, it appears Kyle Pitts will be staying in Atlanta for now.
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