A Pro Bowl talent faces a contract gamble. Will the Falcons tag the former Florida star, potentially derailing his future earnings and quest for a lucrative deal?
Former Florida star tight end Kyle Pitts Jr. has had an interesting start to his NFL career to say the least.
The Atlanta Falcons selected Pitts with the No. 4 pick in the 2021 draft.
However, his career didn't get off to a great start in Atlanta. How much of his struggles have to do with talent, coaching, or bad quarterback play is unknown.
Frankly, the Falcons, set to have a third head coach since Pitts was drafted, don't deserve the benefit of the doubt.
Pitts had a solid rookie campaign, catching 68 passes for 1,026 yards and one touchdown. He hasn't had another 1,000-yard season since 2021.
Pitts made progress last season, catching 88 passes for 928 yards and five touchdowns. He had a monster game in the Falcons' 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, recording 11 receptions on 12 targets for 166 yards and three touchdowns.
Marc Raimondi of ESPN thinks the Falcons have a big decision to make on Pitts' future in Atlanta. He named the tight end as a likely candidate for the franchise tag this offseason, which would screw over the tight end for a long-term contract.
"After three subpar seasons, Pitts, the 2021 No. 4 pick, was largely considered a bust," Raimondi wrote. "But in 2025, when healthy, he established himself as one of the best tight ends in the league.
"Now he is heading into potential free agency following his best season since his record-breaking 2021 rookie campaign... The Falcons might want to tag him and see what he does in 2026 to determine whether they want to give him a big contract to retain him."
With new head coach Kevin Stefanski running the show, Pitts could become a bigger target for the offense in 2026.
Pitts told NFL insider Jordan Schultz that he'd love to play for Stefanski next season.
"That’d be dope in general as a room and just for morale as an offensive piece, (with) the tight end being one of the focal points in it,” Pitts said.
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku was a big feature for Stefanski, though his numbers trailed off amid poor quarterback play in recent seasons.
Maybe if Pitts can have another 1,000-yard season in 2026, the former Gator can land a big-time contract next offseason.