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New Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham needs to make bold moves to get the Falcons out of their rut. And one of the boldest he could make is moving on from tight end Kyle Pitts this offseason.
It’s already been announced that Pitts will be franchise tagged. That makes sense, given that he’s coming off a second-team All-Pro bid and keeping him for another year would be a safe choice. It would give Cunningham a chance to evaluate him for a full season in Kevin Stefanski’s offense before making a long-term decision about his future.
However, Pitts’ long-term outlook in Atlanta isn’t as rosy as it might appear at first glance, since a return in 2026 would mean the Falcons are treading the same ground that has led to repeated disappointing seasons as of late. They are running it back with the same core of offensive weapons and personnel for the fourth consecutive year, with the only substantial changes made during that period being at quarterback. The Falcons have essentially tried and failed with four different quarterbacks to try and unlock the full potential of that talent, and are on a path to trot out a fifth one this year. Will Cunningham let this same hackneyed formula fail them again in a fourth season in a row?
If so, then how is he any different or better than his predecessor, Terry Fontenot? He’d be making the exact same mistake that led to Fontenot’s downfall: trusting far too much in the supremacy of his roster construction. Alas, Cunningham has to switch things up, and letting Pitts go is the boldest, but probably best pivot he can make this offseason. It would also be poetic, given that Pitts was Fontenot’s first draft selection, and a clear indicator that there is a new sheriff in town.
Falcons can find a replacement for Pitts in a deep TE draft class
Of course, losing Pitts would be a significant blow to the Falcons’ offense, but one that this team should be prepared to recover from rather quickly. There are 27 tight ends invited to the Scouting Combine, dwarfing the last few years’ list of invites. And while some think the 2026 tight end class lacks a wealth of high-end talent, the aforementioned number reflects the enormous depth available later this spring with considerably cheaper options than Pitts. That money saved could do wonders to shore up other areas of concern for the Falcons, including the trenches, where Cunningham has stressed he wants to beef up.
Stefanski runs a tight-end-friendly offense, which obviously could benefit Pitts but should also help any potential replacements, especially those of lesser talent. But more importantly, the physical, run-first identity of this new-look offense doesn’t quite mesh with Pitts’ pass-first playing style. And when you factor in that Pitts doesn’t quite mesh with the team’s more important offensive fixtures, Bijan Robinson and Drake London, it makes sense for the team to move on.
Pitts’ skills don’t mesh well with both Bijan and Drake London
A tight end that brings a bit more oomph as a run blocker would be a better fit with Robinson and the run game that Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees want to be the foundation of the offense. An inline “Y” tight end also better meshes with London’s skill set, as well, given that he has been one of the NFL’s top “power slot” receivers since entering the NFL in 2022. According to PFF, London has ranked sixth or higher in three of his four seasons in yards per route run when lined up in the slot.
Pitts functions much the same as a big slot when flexed out, as evidenced by the fact that he led all tight ends in that same slot yards per route run metric for the final seven games of 2025, with London limited or out of the lineup. However, in the first 10 games of 2025, Pitts ranked 31st among tight ends in that same metric. In non-slot yards per route run, Pitts ranked 20th during that early stretch of the season with London in the lineup. The Falcons have struggled to feature these overlapping skill sets together over the past four years. The numbers underscore the core issue: Pitts and London rarely work well together. When one is productive, the other is usually quiet.
Many may hope that Stefanski can resolve this dilemma, but those hopes are just a rehash of Fontenot’s playbook. It’s often said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
A tag-and-trade scenario could leave Falcons with something rather than nothing
Now, should Cunningham simply let Pitts walk in free agency? A case can be made that the Falcons should in hopes of recouping some value in the form of a compensatory draft pick in 2027. Cunningham’s background of working with the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles, two teams that have had more success than most in gaming the system with compensatory picks over the years, lends credence to adopting a similar strategy here in Atlanta.
But there would be risk involved in letting Pitts hit the open market because the Falcons could negate their compensatory pick windfall by signing free agents from other teams. The Falcons can mitigate that risk by electing to franchise tag and then trade Pitts, guaranteeing they can get some form of draft-pick compensation.
Since 2018, tag-and-trades have become increasingly common, with eight happening in that span. While many might dream of receiving a first-round pick in exchange for Pitts to replace the one absent from the Falcons’ current coffers, that is unlikely. Instead, most tag-and-trade scenarios involved second or third-round picks.
But that would still be valuable to Cunningham, who has also stated he views draft picks as currency. He can start collecting it by moving Pitts to a new team where he can flourish. Pitts’ potential success elsewhere should not be seen as a deterrent against moving him, as it often is, for fears that the much-maligned tight end finally turned a corner in 2025 and will start to live up to the hype as the highest-drafted tight end ever.
Other teams have successfully made bold moves by trading their TEs
Replacing quality tight ends hasn’t been a huge problem for many NFL teams over the past decade or so. Ask the Detroit Lions or Las Vegas Raiders if they have lingering regrets about trading T.J. Hockenson and Darren Waller, respectively, and landing Sam LaPorta and Brock Bowers within a year of those trades. Each of the latter two have outshined their predecessors. The Falcons only have to look at their bitter rival trading Jimmy Graham back in 2015 as inspiration. While the Saints never acquired a comparable tight end in the decade since that move, their offense improved thanks to investing more in wide receivers like Brandin Cooks and Michael Thomas. The Falcons are already on the path of looking to upgrade their wide receiver position this offseason after a disastrous 2025 season for the position.
In the end, trading Pitts in his prime would be a very bold decision by Cunningham, creating an immediate void, but the Falcons are well-positioned to recover quickly. And it wouldn’t be as bold as many of Fontenot’s huge swings, such as selecting a tight end fourth overall, or handing out the biggest free agent contract ever to a quarterback in the same offseason as drafting one in the top 10, or trading away a future first-round pick for a pass-rusher with known character red flags.
However, the Falcons likely will wait and see on Pitts before making any bold decisions. Perhaps Stefanski and Rees will find more creative ways to maximize both Pitts and London within the same offense this season. Tagging him gives them time to figure that stuff out. But in the meantime, a bolder move that could pave the way for a brighter future for the Falcons’ offense will be just a phone call away.