With just a couple of days before the 53-man roster deadline, it’s hard to imagine that any big-time trades are still coming. But, that won’t stop the trade pitches. While most of the trade pitches involving the Falcons have included Kirk Cousins, one name has continued to pop up year after year: Kyle Pitts.
On Thursday, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay compiled one trade that each team should propose before the 2025 season starts. With Pitts entering the final year of his contract, Kay put together a trade pitch to send the fifth-year tight end to a division rival.
Falcons Trade Pitch Sends Kyle Pitts to Panthers
After a breakout rookie season in 2021, Kyle Pitts’ production has fallen precipitously. The tight end broke onto the scene with a 1,000-yard season, but has only managed 1,651 total yards over the past three seasons.
He dealt with a serious knee injury that cost him the final six games of the 2022 season. But, even after fully rehabbing, Pitts never returned to the production of his rookie season. That’s a big reason why he’s, once again, being included in trade pitches.
Part of his drop in production can be explained by the drop in snaps played. His percentage of snaps played has dropped by 12 percentage points (74% to 62%) since his rookie year. That has led to a decrease in targets, receptions and yards in each of his three healthy seasons.
There are quite a few variables involved, though, including an ever-changing quarterback position and a new regime under Raheem Morris and Zac Robinson. But, it’s clear that Pitts hasn’t shown enough to garner a larger share of targets. It’s entirely possible that Pitts plays well enough alongside Michael Penix Jr. to earn himself another contract, but there were reportedly “no whispers” of an extension all summer.
It appears as if the Falcons are content to see what Pitts can do during the final year of his contract. But, it’s unclear whether they would be able to land a better trade pitch based on his inconsistent performance.
Pitts Suffered From Atlanta’s Inconsistent Passing Game
Even with the inconsistency and injury issues, there’s reason to believe that this year could be different. As my colleague Garret Klaus pointed out earlier this month, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson should emphasize a scheme where Pitts can be much more effective.
“The new scheme emphasizes spacing, tempo, and layered route concepts, a much better match for Pitts’ skill set,” Klaus wrote.
During his time in Atlanta, Pitts has faced his fair share of potential trade pitches. But, more importantly, he’s dealt with more than enough changes at quarterback.
Over the course of just four seasons, he’s played with six different quarterbacks. It’s hard enough to build a consistent role in the NFL. But, it’s much harder when you have to build rapport with several different quarterbacks during the same season.
Obviously, a trade pitch would mean another quarterback to adjust to. But, with PFF calling Pitts’ rookie campaign “a blip on the radar,” maybe he’d benefit from a change of scenery.
As Kay wrote, Pitts is “still oozing upside and could return to form quickly following a trade.”
“Kyle Pitts fits the bill as a buy-low, high-value trade target who would become a featured part of the Panthers‘ passing attack,” Kay wrote.
In Kay’s trade pitch, the Falcons would only receive a 2026 third-round pick in return for Pitts. That’s not substantial enough of a return for a former first-round pick. That’s especially true when your alternative is to have Charlie Woerner take first-team snaps.
Woerner has only recorded 18 receptions for 166 yards across five seasons. Pitts may not be the star they were hoping for, but he’s certainly got the edge over Woerner.
One thing is clear: Kyle Pitts needs to approach his rookie year production to avoid any more trade pitches. Hopefully, the chemistry we’ve seen from Pitts and Penix leads to a bounce-back season and a playoff appearance.
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