It’s past time for Kyle Pitts to deliver for the Falcons

There is a second-year quarterback (Michael Penix Jr.) whose progress in the offseason has delighted his coaches. Then there’s a coaching staff that recognizes Pitts’ sky-high ceiling and wants to make use of that ability.

And, not least, Pitts’ own inventory — a boatload of talent and incentive to earn a contract that can provide generational wealth.

You can call it pressure or opportunity. It could be both for the 24-year-old Pitts, who is not taking part in on-field workouts during the team’s minicamp this week as he treats a foot injury.

A pivotal time has arrived in his career, now going into its fifth year. In the final year of his contract with the Falcons and free agency beckoning, if there were ever a season for him to maximize his ability, this would be the one.

Although last season would have been nice, too.

Pitts had struggled in 2023 as he was coming back from season-ending knee surgery in 2022 and played with a less capable quarterback in Desmond Ridder.

In 2024, Pitts had an accomplished quarterback in Kirk Cousins and an offensive coordinator in Zac Robinson eager to take advantage of his skills. Before last season, Cousins went so far as to call him “our best player.” Robinson assured everyone that Pitts would have a large role in the offense.

“His speed, how fast he can play with his size and the things that he can do in the pass game and in the run game is going to be a huge value for us,” Robinson said before the season.

Ultimately, Pitts caught 47 passes for 602 yards and four touchdowns, fewer receptions and yards than he produced in the season before. The reception total was fifth highest on the team and tied for 22nd among NFL tight ends, according to Sports Reference.

Tight end Charlie Woerner gave the Falcons much better run blocking than Pitts and, in fact, played more offensive snaps than Pitts in five of the team’s final six games. With his disappointing play, Pitts played a role in the Falcons’ extending their playoff drought to seven seasons.

So much for huge value.

On Tuesday, on the Falcons’ first day of minicamp, I asked coach Raheem Morris if anything in particular held Pitts back last season.

“No,” he said. “It’s just a matter of going out there and doing it.”

There was more to the response, but those 12 words spoke loudly, particularly considering two of Morris’ patterns.

In dealing with media, he is quite adept at answering a question at length without really addressing the substance of it. Also, Morris tends to lean to the positive when speaking about his players.

To that end, Morris left no uncertainty about his view of Pitts’ 2024.

Morris said something else interesting about Pitts on Tuesday: that there is “pressure that lives on his chest” from the expectations placed on him for being the No. 4 pick in the 2021 draft, the earliest a tight end has been selected.

Morris presumably wouldn’t have brought it up if it weren’t the case. It was a reminder that Pitts is an actual human, however unlike the rest of us he might appear.

Regardless, the Falcons haven’t given up on him, not that they have a lot of choice.

He remains their best pass-catching tight end and, after spending a top-five draft pick on him, they’d like to get more from their investment. There has been trade chatter, but there’s little reason to think he’s going anywhere.

Morris remains hopeful that Pitts will improve through his connection with Penix in the quarterback’s second season. Pitts was the target for what arguably was Penix’s biggest moment last season — a 13-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against Washington when the Falcons faced fourth-and-goal with less than 90 seconds remaining while trailing 24-17.

“(Pitts) has got very high standards for himself, and I feel really good about those two working together and absolutely getting a better result,” Morris said.

The potential is so obvious and tantalizing.

“He’s super talented,” Morris said. “That’s always going to be the thing that gives you hope for Kyle, right?”

Falcons fans know all about it, namely the size/speed/strength combination that makes him such a problem to cover and tackle after the catch.

It was on full display when Pitts, teaming with the great Matt Ryan, made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2021. The flashes have popped far less frequently since.

“I keep on saying that he’s a freaking unicorn,” London said. “I don’t know somebody who’s (6-foot-6, 250 pounds), fricking running like that. And then, too, he has great, great route skills, great hands and, too, he blocks. … Just seeing him out there doing his thing for the last three years is really, really cool, and I think we’re excited for this year, for sure.”

It’s easy for the Falcons to be excited about Pitts in June. Whether they’ll feel the same in January is the question.