Jets Predicted To Land Kyle Pitts In Blockbuster Round 1 NFL Draft Trade

This would be a wild move

Dec 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) prepares for a game against the New York Giants at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Ready for a particularly crazy New York Jets trade idea?

ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently published a Round 1 NFL mock draft featuring trade proposals for all 32 picks. It's an interesting read, one including a wild trade proposal involving the seventh-overall pick and Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.

Here are the full details:

Jets receive: 2025 Round 1 pick (15), 2026 Round 3 pick, TE Kyle Pitts
Falcons receive: 2025 Round 1 pick (7)

"Outside of the offensive linemen, this is a potential landing spot for front-seven defenders Mason Graham, Jalon Walker (Georgia), Jihaad Campbell (Alabama) and Mike Green (Marshall), all of whom could be interesting to the Panthers at No. 8 and Saints at No. 9," Barnwell wrote. "The Falcons are perennially desperate for pass-rushing help and would surely love to beat their NFC South rivals to the punch for Walker or Green."

"They might be equally excited about moving on from Pitts, who has seemingly fallen out of favor after failing to build on an impressive rookie season in 2021. On the Jets' side, Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt are their only tight ends, so adding a 24-year-old with upside would have to appeal to new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand. Pitts will be on a one-year, $10.8 million deal for 2025, but New York would have a reasonable transition tag option for 2026 at $13.9 million if Pitts plays up to his potential."

Honestly, that's not a terrible trade idea. The Jets need help at tight end after losing Tyler Conklin to the Los Angeles Chargers, and Pitts remains an elite talent despite a relatively underwhelming four-year run with the Falcons.

The fourth-overall pick in 2021, Pitts posted 68 catches for 1,026 yards and one touchdown as a rookie. However, he racked up just 356 yards while battling injuries in 2022 and registered 667 and 602 yards the following two seasons, respectively.

With all that said, you certainly could argue the Jets would be better off keeping the No. 7 pick and addressing a bigger area of need.

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