If you’re wondering if your favorite NFL team has even a remote chance of trading for Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts, you might want to sit down.
After his stellar rookie campaign where he hauled in 1,026 yards and made the Pro Bowl with Matt Ryan under center, Pitts had a limited 2022 campaign that’s sparked plenty of criticisms (particularly from fantasy football managers) for head coach Arthur Smith allegedly not using him as his talent would indicate.
The question has become if the Falcons would actually trade their fourth-overall pick after one 10-game season where he wasn’t as effective in his rookie year. That doesn’t really happen in the NFL with a player with Pitts’ prestige after one down year cut short by injury, but it’s still gotten folks to wonder and speculate.
The Cowboys should trade for Kyle Pitts https://t.co/ZZBsAnjsSP pic.twitter.com/37bQLUtSNU
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) September 26, 2023
NFL Network reporter Jane Slater did the good work by actually investigating the possibility of such an unlikely trade even happening, and she got the answer that should’ve been expected all along at this idea.
“LOL. No way,” a team source told Slater.
The Cowboys are always looking to bolster their offense, so when I heard a show say Dallas should call Atlanta to see if Kyle Pitts is available, I checked into it.
A source with the Falcons’ answer when I asked “LOL. No way.”— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) September 26, 2023
The Falcons are not going to trade Pitts anytime soon because they’re not silly. You can take that to the bank. He’s one of the most purely talented tight ends in the NFL, and he literally made the Pro Bowl after playing with a good quarterback in Ryan in 2021.
Last season was a funky one for the Falcons’ passing game. The team was beating teams on the ground with its rushing attack, and quarterback Marcus Mariota was not asked to do much with his arm.
Hitting Pitts deep was part of what made him such an integral part of the Falcons offense in 2021, and Mariota just couldn’t get any sort of deep passing game going last year.
If you’d like to see just how bad it was for Pitts last year when going deep with Mariota throwing the ball, this lowlight reel will explain a lot.
"An Easy Step-By-Step Guide on How to Gouge Your Eyes Out" 🧵
Subtitle: All 14 of Kyle Pitts' so-called 20+ Yard "Targets" from Marcus Mariota
🔊special thanks to Andrew Maxwell Dwyer pic.twitter.com/BCOPoELc6d
— Kyle Borgognoni (@kyle_borg) May 16, 2023
Pitts seemed to have a lingering injury that hampered him through some of last season, too, before he landed on IR for a separate injury against the Chicago Bears in Week 10.
The tight end’s 59 targets last year was only good for a mid-20s ranking among the position, and 356 yards had him 30th in the NFL for caught yards among tight ends. However, Atlanta’s offensive identity was run-heavy almost out of necessity because of Mariota’s limitations in the passing game.
It was just a horrendously unlucky year for Pitts in his sophomore campaign.
Consider in 2021: Pitts was fifth in the NFL for targets (110) and third in yards received with Ryan as his quarterback and Smith as his head coach. This coaching staff has already shown how to use him to his potential.
In 2023, the Falcons are trying out 2022 third-round pick Desmond Ridder at quarterback and have had so-so success. The team is 2-1, and Pitts is 10th in the NFL among tight ends for receiving yards (100) and tied for sixth with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce for targets (17).
Only five NFL tight ends this season have 20-plus targets this year, and only two of them (Minnesota Vikings TE T.J. Hokenson: 28, Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta: 22) have more than 21.
For a run-heavy team like the Falcons, Pitts has already been a major fixture in what passing attack they’ve been able to muster. He’s tied with running back Bijan Robinson for Falcons passing targets (17) this year through three games.
Also consider that the team adding tight end Jonnu Smith (14 targets) is helping the offense spread the ball around a bit. If Smith weren’t here, Pitts’ targets would probably go up because there wouldn’t be as good of depth at the position.
The Falcons are working hard to get Pitts as involved as they can with a limited young quarterback and an offensive line that isn’t great at pass protection.
Just look at this deep ball that Ridder tossed to Pitts that help them beat the Carolina Panthers in Week 1.
Welcome back, @kylepitts__!
📺: FOX | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/QSHCTmUJUi
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) September 10, 2023
It’s not even a perfect throw from Ridder, but Pitts made the necessary adjustment on a ridiculous swim move to get the ball and set up an eventual Falcons touchdown. Pitts’ talent oozes through the screen on this catch.
On what could’ve been a big completion against the Detroit Lions on Sunday that would’ve amped up Pitts’ 2023 yardage by quite a bit, it looked like the tight end might’ve had a little trouble keeping pace on his route as he’s perhaps reacclimating to NFL speed after his 2022 season-ending injury.
Or, he could’ve just felt something off and didn’t make the adjustment on the decent-enough ball from Ridder. It’s hard to say, but this play falling through would’ve bumped him up quite a bit for his 2023 yardage totals.
Kyle Pitts tweaked something at some point. pic.twitter.com/YqLpDuoSCr
— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) September 24, 2023
In the end, Ridder’s development and Pitts continuing to get more comfortable with his playing speed after injury should lend to more completed passes over the season ahead. Pitts’ yardage and target share should be much higher for 2023 than it was in 2022 just on minor improvements in the Falcons passing game alone.
Ridder’s future in Atlanta is very much uncertain as he’s auditioning for the future, but Pitts’ future in Atlanta is assuredly not. He’s already been a huge part of this team’s passing attack in two seasons, even if the 2022 results weren’t what anyone would’ve hoped.
The most likely way Pitts’ rookie contract ends with the Falcons is through a big money extension. Anyone dreaming of a trade with this Falcons regime in town is going to have to see how much they value him … and use him.
