The Atlanta Falcons have been surrounded by trade rumors ever since the NFL offseason began. Not only is quarterback Kirk Cousins' future in Atlanta up in the air, but Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts' outlook has also come into question following an underwhelming start to his professional career.
Trading Pitts has seemed easier said than done, though. Not only is the former Florida Gator coming off an underwhelming 2024 performance, but he's also set to carry a $10.8 million cap hit in the final year of his rookie contract in 2025, according to Spotrac — a price tag that seems too rich based on his recent production.
But just when hope regarding a potential offseason trade was dwindling, it looks like Pitts might still be moved before the 2025 season begins.
Falcons News: Kyle Pitts Still Drawing Interest Around the NFL
Following the NFL scouting combine, The Athletic's Josh Kendall revealed that he had "a lot" of Pitts-centric conversations during his time in Indianapolis, IN. From the sound of things, a good chunk of the league will be monitoring what happens to the 24-year-old TE next.
"Basically, the rest of the league is still having the conversation about the tight end that Atlanta fans have had the last two seasons," Kendall wrote. "What’s going on with Pitts? Is this the year he breaks out? Do the Falcons want to re-sign him?"
What I Heard about the Atlanta Falcons at the combine:https://t.co/YGXMHOpFql
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) March 4, 2025
The fact that executives were asking Kendall about Pitts suggests that it isn't too late for the Falcons to pull off a trade. All that matters is finding the right dance partner who still believes that the best is yet to come for the former 2021 fourth-overall pick.
Pitts' career trajectory has been frustrating, to say the least. The 6-foot-6 TE burst onto the scene with a Pro Bowl rookie season that saw him turn 68 receptions into 1,026 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, he's been trending in the wrong direction since then, tallying 1,625 yards and nine TDs on 128 catches across 40 games in the following three seasons.
The 2024 campaign was Pitts' most underwhelming performance to date. He finished Year 4 with career lows in receptions (2.8) and yards (35.4) per game while also tallying a 59.6 offense grade on Pro Football Focus — only the 44th-best mark among 74 eligible tight ends.
It's going to be interesting to monitor Pitts' situation throughout the next few months.
Although it would be easy to give up and trade him for the first offer, the Falcons likely won't be in a rush. There's still plenty of time before the 2025 season begins, and the team might be willing to give the struggling playmaker one last chance to prove himself before letting him walk as a free agent in 2026.
Star tight ends are hard to come by, and the best-case scenario for the Falcons would be for Pitts to find a way to return to his 2021 form.