There’s certainly no shortage of raw athletic talent in the NFL. There’s also no shortage of cautionary tales. Somewhere in between sits Kyle Pitts, the once-in-a-generation tight end prospect who now feels like one of the most polarizing names in football.
And with the Atlanta Falcons reportedly taking calls on the former No. 4 overall pick, the Philadelphia Eagles are being whispered about as a potential landing spot.
And hey why not? General Manager Howie Roseman always comes circling when he smells value chum in the water. The problem is this: what kind of realized value would the native Philly pass catcher bring to his hometown team?
That’s the million-dollar (or more accurately, $11 million) question.
Here’s the Pitch
Pitts is just 24 years old, has freakish 4.4 speed at 6’6”, 245 pounds, and was drafted higher than any tight end in league history. As a rookie, he posted 1,026 yards and made the Pro Bowl. In theory, he’d be the perfect weapon in Philly — lined up next to Dallas Goedert in 12 personnel or split wide while defenses focus on A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Saquon Barkley.
“He still has unicorn potential,” said Chris Simms on his Pro Football Talk podcast recently. “You put him on that team, and you’re giving Hurts another Ferrari.”
Potential Means Squat
After four years in the league I’m pretty sure you’ve shown what the upside of your potential looks like so I think we can stop speculating and blindly guessing as to what your upside looks like.
But if any team knows how to exploit mismatches, it’s the Eagles. With new offensive coordinator Kevin Patuulo designing schemes and Jalen Hurts continuing to thrive in an offense that looks like a who’s who of potential future Canton, Ohio residents, it hard to see a whole lot of downside even if Pitts shows up in late July, healthy, and with a prove-it mind set.
But let’s face it that’s where things get murky. Despite the physical tools, Pitts has just 10 touchdowns in four seasons, hasn’t topped 700 yards since his rookie year, and hasn’t always looked like the game-breaking tight end he was billed to be.
They Changed His Position
Kyle Pitts was introduced on ESPN draft night as the first “pass catcher” off the board in 2021, a title that blurred the lines between wideout and tight end, the latter being the one he played at Florida. Since he was drafted by the Falcons in 2021 he’s lined up primarily at tight end for the Atlanta. But when you stack his production against both his fellow first-rounders and Atlanta’s own wideouts, the story becomes even more complex. Pitts leads all Falcons pass catchers in receiving yards (2,651) and receptions (196) since 2021, ahead of top wideout Drake London (1,846 yards, 141 catches). He’s also outperformed other WRs like Russell Gage and Olamide Zaccheaus. Yet when compared to his draft classmates like Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith, all of whom have surpassed 3,000 yards and double-digit TDs, Pitts still lags behind in touchdowns (just 10 total) and overall impact. He’s the Falcons’ most productive weapon by default, not dominance,and that’s where the intrigue lies for a team like Philly looking to buy low on a high-ceiling athlete.
Kyle Pitts vs. fellow Falcon receivers (2021-2024)
- Pitts: TE 49 gms 196 rec 2,651 yds 10 TDs
- Drake London: WR 33 gms 141 rec 1,846 yds 6 TDs
- Olamide Zaccheaus: WR 32 gms 79 rec 973 yds 5 Tds
- Russell Gage: WR 29 gms 94 rec 1,156 yds 6 TDs
Kyle Pitts vs. his draft class (2021-2024)
- Player Team Games Receptions Rec Yards TDs 1000+
- Kyle Pitts Falcons 49 196 2651 10 1
- Ja’Marr Chase: Bengals 45 268 3927 29 2
- Jalen Waddle: Dolphins 49 281 3460 18 2
- Devonta Smith: Eagles 50 240 3161 19 1
- Kadarius Toney: Giants 35 86 835 5 0
- Rashod Bateman: Ravens 35 93 1180 4 0
Let it Rip
Around the league, there wasn’t a whole lot of support for the Philly native going forward and they didn’t hold back.
“He’s been a disappointment relative to his draft status,” said PFT’s Mike Florio. “That football-playing, jumping, running, catching machine we were promised? It hasn’t happened.”
Simms didn’t hold back either, calling him a “long strider” who’s “not great at the top of routes.”
And Florio relayed a quote from a source close to the Falcons that cuts deep:
“The issue with Kyle is he’s hard to throw to. He doesn’t have a natural feel for route craft. He doesn’t slow into zones or show his numbers to the QB.”
That’s a red flag especially in Philly’s rhythm-timing system where receivers are expected to be exactly where Hurts needs them.
His Former Quarterback Wasn’t Even a Fan
That’s a serious problem for a player expected to be a go-to weapon. Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, according to the podcast, was “not a big fan” of Pitts’ feel for the position despite helping him to a Pro Bowl season in 2021.
“Kyle is hard to throw to. He doesn’t a natural feel for route craft. Doesn’t slow into zones, doesn’t show his numbers to the quarterback, the timing just isn’t there.”
That’s a serious problem for a player expected to be a go-to weapon. Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, according to the podcast, was “not a big fan” of Pitts’ feel for the position despite helping him to a Pro Bowl season in 2021.
The Falcons are clearly in no rush to move Pitts, but they’re also not shutting down the idea. With Cousins under center and a reshaped offensive philosophy under Raheem Morris, the team seems willing to see what the 24-year-old can do — assuming he gets healthy.
If nothing changes and Pitts walks in free agency next year, Atlanta would likely net a compensatory pick. But if a team like the Eagles or Chargers — both rumored to be sniffing around — comes calling with a mid-round package, the Falcons might find it hard to pass up.
“He’s still young. He still has all the tools,” Simms said. “But at some point, potential has to meet production.”
And time may be running out for that to happen in Atlanta. That said, the reality is complicated. Pitts is due $11 million in 2025 — the final year of his rookie deal. That financial hurdle, combined with his declining production and lingering injuries, has made potential trade talks more exploratory than imminent.
“He has underachieved,” one anonymous NFC general manager told Heavy’s Matt Lombardo. “That may be partly the Falcons’ fault because his usage has been sporadic, but he doesn’t value as a top 10 TE to me at all. Just my opinion.”
That opinion is shared by others around the league, especially those who expected Pitts to dominate by now.
On his PFT podcast Simms added some critical nuance to Pitts’ scouting report:
“He’s a long strider. It takes him time to get up to top speed. He’s not great at making sharp cuts at the top of routes,” Simms explained. “That’s what’s stopped him from being that dominant tight end people expected.”
Even more damning was a note Florio received from a league source:
“Kyle is hard to throw to. He doesn’t have a natural feel for route craft. Doesn’t slow into zones, doesn’t show his numbers to the quarterback — the timing just isn’t there.”
That’s a serious problem for a player expected to be a go-to weapon.
So What Comes Next?
The Falcons are clearly in no rush to move Pitts, but they’re also not shutting down the idea. With Michael Penix Jr. under center and a reshaped offensive philosophy under Raheem Morris, the team seems willing to see what the 24-year-old can do assuming he gets healthy.
If nothing changes and Pitts walks in free agency next year, Atlanta would likely net a compensatory pick. But if a team like the Eagles or Chargers, both rumored to be sniffing around, comes calling with a mid-round package, the Falcons might find it hard to pass up.
