The Atlanta Falcons offense ranked fifth in passing yards last season but Kyle Pitts finished with fewer receptions and receiving yards than he did in 2023. After the team upgraded at quarterback, many believed Pitts would recapture the magic from his 1,000-yard rookie campaign.
However, the former No. 4 overall pick ended his fourth NFL season with 47 catches, 602 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Those aren’t bad numbers for a tight end, but they’re less than ideal for someone drafted ahead of Ja’Marr Chase.
Pitts has one year left on his rookie contract, which has prompted trade speculation from fans and analysts. ESPN released a new feature with offseason predictions for all 32 teams. Ben Solak’s prediction for Atlanta was trading Pitts to the Cincinnati Bengals for a Day 3 draft pick:
Tight end Kyle Pitts is due $10.8 million on the final year of his deal in 2025. Can the Falcons get more for him in a trade than they would in a compensatory pick after he leaves in free agency? I think they could, as he has a rosier future on an offense that actually fits his skill set. My prediction: Pitts will get dealt to the Bengals for a Day 3 pick. — ESPN’s Ben Solak
A Day 3 draft pick (Rounds 4-7) doesn’t sound like a great return for a former top-five selection. If you throw in the fact that Pitts is just 24 years old — the same age as Falcons rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. — it only sounds worse.
However, the Falcons could lose Pitts for nothing in 2026, which would hurt even more. There’s certainly a case to be made for moving the former Florida Gators star, but there’s also a case for keeping him.
Pitts finished the year ranked 13th in receiving yards among tight ends. And aside from running back Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta hasn’t exactly nailed its Day 3 draft picks under general manager Terry Fontenot.
Trading Pitts would also create a hole at tight end that the team would need to allocate more offseason resources to fill. Charlie Woerner is an outstanding blocker but isn’t used much in the passing game.
Pitts has 196 career receptions for 2,651 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns since entering the league in 2021.