Broncos Urged to Trade for Falcons' Former Pro Bowl TE

The Broncos can acquire a "major upgrade" before the trade deadline.

Aug 15, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (8) on the field against the Tennessee Titans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The 2025 NFL trade deadline (Nov. 4) is still over a month away, but Sports Illustrated already has an idea of who the Denver Broncos should be shopping for.

Proposing one potential trade for each team, SI's Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano proposed the Broncos acquire tight end Kyle Pitts from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick, landing a "major upgrade" at the position.

"This would be the biggest move the Broncos could make," Verderame and Manzano argued in an article published Wednesday. "Early on, it’s been a struggle for Bo Nix in his second season, who has thrown seven touchdowns and four interceptions on 5.6 yards per attempt. Furthermore, adding Pitts would free up more space for Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr.

"Pitts is 24 years old and already has 20 catches for 205 yards and a touchdown. Although he has never reached the potential many thought he had coming out of Florida as the No. 4 pick in 2021, Pitts would still be a major upgrade for Denver."

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Oct 27, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Drafted No. 4 overall in 2021, Pitts has not lived up to his generational billing thus far in his young career. The Florida product earned a Pro Bowl nod and PFWA All-Rookie Team honors after his first season, but — for a variety of reasons — he's steadily declined ever since.

Across 65 career games (59 starts) and nearly 2,900 offensive snaps for the Falcons, Pitts has totaled 216 receptions for 2,856 yards and 11 touchdowns, with his career-high in the latter category (4) coming last season. He's caught 20 balls for 205 yards and one score this year, currently grading out as Pro Football Focus' sixth-ranked TE.

While Pitts' situation in Atlanta does appear tenuous, it leans toward unlikely that his resolution will be the Broncos, who invested heavily in the position this offseason by signing ex-Jaguar Evan Engram to a two-year, $23 million contract.

Engram, hampered with a prior back injury, has compiled 62 scoreless yards over six receptions entering Week 5. However, the team's purported "Joker" logged a season-best seven targets and 29 receiving yards in last week's blowout of the Bengals — and with him healthy, it's difficult to justify adding another mouth to feed.

“There are certainly matchups, third down [and] red zone come to mind. With him on the field, we’re a better offense," Broncos head coach Sean Payton said of Engram on Sept. 27.