Adam Schefter Weighs In On Kyle Pitts Trade Possibility for Atlanta Falcons

Former Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot's very first draft pick in Atlanta was tight end Kyle Pitts, who the Falcons took at No. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Falcons bucked conventional wisdom by stepping out of the box and selecting a non-premium position in the top 5, making Pitts the highest-drafted tight end of all time.

Fontentot was fired in January after five consecutive losing seasons.

Pitts finished second in receiving yards among tight ends last season, but a cynic might look at those numbers and see that more than half his 928 yards (429) came in the final six games of the season when the Falcons were eliminated from playoff contention, and Drake London wasn't on the field much of the time.

An optimist might point out that Pitts was dealt an injury in his second season that lingered into his third year, had inconsistent (at best) quarterback play, and is still just 25 years old.

With both sides having valid arguments and Pitts being on a one-year contract, speculation has run rampant about his possible availability in a trade.

One of the industry's heavyweights, ESPN's Adam Schefter, weighed in on Monday, placing Pitts firmly in the available category, naming Pitts among his trade candidates to watch heading into Thursday night's NFL Draft.

When the Falcons placed the franchise tag on Pitts this offseason, it meant he received a one-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $15 million. The franchise tag is calculated on the five-highest paid players at his position.

Being that tight end is a non-premium position, the tag is considerably lower than it would have been for a wide receiver, nearly double at $27.3 million.

New general manager Ian Cunningham has already shown he's not afraid to jettison the picks from the former regime, trading 2024 second-round pick Ruke Orhorhoro on Friday to the Jaguars for defensive tackle Maason Smith.

He has also been very clear that the Falcons would like to have more draft picks than the five they currently have going into Thursday night.

"I'd say for all the players, we're going to listen, I wouldn't just say Kyle," Cunningham during Monday's pre-draft press conference. "That's our job. That doesn't mean that that's going to happen, but if people call, we're going to listen."

There's definitely smoke.

If they make a move, Atlanta would hope to get a second-round pick, or the equivalent in multiple picks, for Pitts and clear his $15 million guaranteed salary that they could use this year or carry over the saving to next season.

However, Atlanta is light on pass catchers already in 2026, and London is in the final year of his contract. Considering the relatively low cost of a tight end, and that Pitts has spent nearly 60% of his career (58.6% according to PFF) as either a wide receiver or in the slot, the risk of losing a young talent like Pitts might outweigh the reward in a trade.

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