The Falcons Must Decide What Kyle Pitts Is Really Worth

The Atlanta Falcons have an important decision on their hands, and how they address it could set the tone for their new era.

Kyle Pitts Sr. is coming off a career season that included being named second-team All-Pro, but it also came in the final year of his rookie deal.

The former No. 4 overall pick, who will still only be 25 when the 2026 season kicks off, has had a tumultuous start to his career. After an outstanding rookie season, he tore his ACL and struggled with consistency in the time since. Last season, Pitts finally rewarded the Falcons’ patience and snapped out of his three-year funk.

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But now he’s a free agent, and Atlanta has just one tight end under contract for 2026. Enter Kevin Stefanski, the new head coach of the Falcons and a known tight end aficionado.

“I love the position. I coached it. It was my first position to coach on the offensive staff, as tight ends coach with the Vikings under Coach [Mike] Zimmer,” Stefanski said. “I love the position because of the versatility that it provides to an offense. And you've seen it around the league. This is nothing new or earth-shattering, but tight ends that can line up all over make life hard on a defense. Whether you can line them up outside, in the backfield, in line, you name it, we love versatility at that position.”

The tight end has been on the record saying he wants to remain in Atlanta, saying it would be “dope” to be back playing for the new coach, and it’s clear why.

Stefanski loves his tight ends. From 2022 to 2024, David Njoku – who routinely struggled with injuries – was on pace to average 835 yards per season, but did not play enough games to reach his potential. In 2025, Harold Fannin took over as the primary option for the Browns, catching 72 passes for 731 yards as a rookie.

Those two players are good, but Pitts has the potential to be great. His bounce-back season serves as a reminder of what he is capable of doing, but how willing should the Falcons be to commit to an inconsistently great player?

New general manager Ian Cunningham and the Falcons will have several looming extensions that they must keep in mind. Running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London, who could come this offseason, will both command hefty paydays. Atlanta already spends almost double (according to Over The Cap) on offense as it does on defense, and that is with most of its offensive stars on rookie deals.

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A franchise tag will buy the Falcons a year, but it will run them about $16 million (according to Spotrac). Should they choose to go this route, they will have until March 3rd to make that official.

Should the Falcons choose to let Pitts become a free agent, the price tag would likely be a bit more reasonable. Spotrac projects that the tight end will carry a market value of about a 4-year deal worth $43.3 million. That average annual value (AAV) of $10.83 million would leave Pitts outside the top 11 highest-paid tight ends, and below players like Evan Engram, Dalton Shultz, and Jonnu Smith. If they let him enter free agency, Atlanta would have to fend off suitors, which would certainly drive up that price tag.

The Falcons need tight ends next season, and they will be hard-pressed to find one with the production and potential upside of Pitts, but can they afford it?

“Kyle's somebody that we'll talk at length more about when it comes to those types of roster conversations,” Stefanski said. “But the position itself is something that we feel really very strongly about.”