Falcons TE Kyle Pitts Sweating Under Pressure?
The Atlanta Falcons hold loft expectations heading into 2023 thanks to exceeding fans' expectations last season, but the player with the most to prove may be third-year tight end Kyle Pitts.
According to Bleacher Report, Pitts is now one of the league's players under the most pressure to succeed.
“The talent isn't a question with Pitts, and to a significant extent his success is reliant on Desmond Ridder improving as a quarterback, Bleacher Report said. “But if Pitts pulls another vanishing act in 2023, it won't really matter why. All that will matter is a top-five pick not producing twice in three years.”
Pitts entered the league in 2021 when the Falcons drafted him No. 4 overall [the earliest of any tight end in history]. As a rookie, he flashed some of the superb athleticism that made him worthy of such a high selection.
However, his sophomore season saw everything go wrong. Rather than build on his impressive 68-catch, thousand-yard rookie season, Pitts saw his targets plummet in a run-heavy offense that often used him as a decoy.
In 2022, Pitts caught a mere 28 passes and only had 356 yards, but the numbers don't tell the full story.
Luckily, there's some good news, part of Pitts’ statistical regression can be attributed to him only playing in 10 games last season. The bad news, Pitts’ season was cut because of a torn MCL.
If Pitts can overcome his injury and get back to his rookie form, Atlanta could be home to the 2023 NFC South divisional champions.
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