Kyle Pitts Trade Rumors Won’t Stop as Adam Schefter Doubles Down: The Falcons Are Ready to Move Their Tight End
Adam Schefter does not mention a player’s name twice in a week by accident. Kyle Pitts is officially on the trade block.
Schefter doubled down on his podcast that the Atlanta Falcons are open to dealing the 25-year-old tight end, with new general manager Ian Cunningham wanting to add more picks. The Falcons placed the franchise tag on Pitts earlier this offseason to keep the former first-round pick under contract for another year. That tag was always more about preserving trade value than retaining him long term.
The Falcons do not have a first-round pick in next year’s draft. They have just five total selections. Trading Pitts for capital makes too much sense to ignore.
Why the Pitts Era in Atlanta Failed
Pitts entered the NFL as the highest-drafted tight end in modern history. He was supposed to be a generational talent. His rookie year delivered on the hype with 1,026 receiving yards. Then the Falcons quarterback situation collapsed and Pitts has not been the same player since.
Marcus Mariota threw to him. Desmond Ridder threw to him. Kirk Cousins threw to him. Michael Penix Jr. threw to him. Five different quarterbacks in four years cannot build chemistry with a tight end who needs to be schemed open in the seams.
His numbers reflect the chaos. Pitts has not topped 700 receiving yards since his rookie season. He has been blamed for drops, blamed for blocking issues, blamed for not being aggressive enough. The reality is the offense never figured out how to use him.
The Chiefs Are the Obvious Landing Spot
Kansas City is the natural home for any disgruntled pass-catcher in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes can elevate anybody. Andy Reid will scheme any tight end into mismatches all day long. The Chiefs have already shown they will trade for a star receiver mid-cycle when the room needs help.
Pitts as the second tight end behind Travis Kelce would be an instant problem for defenses. Kelce is in his final stretch. Pitts could be the heir apparent with two years of overlap to learn the offense. Kansas City has the cap room and the draft picks to make it happen.
The Titans Are the Dark Horse
Tennessee is building around 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. The Titans need every available pass-catching weapon they can find. Pitts as a young red-zone target and seam-stretcher would give Ward an immediate safety valve.
The Titans have draft capital to spend and a clear need at the position. They would have to convince Pitts that Nashville is a long-term home, but the playing time and target share would be there immediately.
What Atlanta Gets in Return
The expected return is a Day 2 pick. Probably a second-rounder or a third with conditions. The Falcons are not going to get a first-round pick for a tight end on the franchise tag who has not produced at the level his draft slot suggested.
What the Falcons gain is salary cap clarity and a clean path forward. New head coach Raheem Morris has made it clear the offense will be built around the running game and play-action. Pitts was never going to be the centerpiece. Moving him for picks and putting the resources elsewhere is the smart play.
The Window Is Closing
Most trades of this magnitude happen during the NFL draft weekend or in the days leading up to training camp. Schefter mentioning Pitts twice in a week tells you the conversations are real and happening now.
If Pitts is going to be moved, it will likely happen before camp opens in late July. The Chiefs and Titans are watching. Atlanta is listening. The clock is ticking.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
