The Atlanta Falcons came just shy of making the playoffs, finishing at 8-9 in a competitive NFC South division won by the 10-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last year’s team fell short of their goals and there were problems on both sides of the ball.
Four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins got benched, paving the way for rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr’s debut. The Falcons benched their starting quarterback despite finishing with the 13th-best scoring attack in the NFL.
Their defense was a different story, with first-year head coach Raheem Morris’ unit ranking 23rd in points allowed. To no surprise, much of the offseason focus has been on improving the defensive side of the ball.
That effort is expected to continue throughout the 2025 NFL Draft, where the Falcons hold the 15th overall pick in the first round. However, the Falcons only hold a total of five selections in the draft, and they could look to acquire more draft capital. Doing so would surely either require dipping into Atlanta’s future draft pick pool or by trading one of their current players.
Recently, Pro Football Focus (PFF) examined the best trade chip for all 32 teams. In doing so, they evaluated the potential trade market for one of the team’s recent first-round selections that has yet to live up to his full potential.
Related: NFL Rumors: Insider reveals potential timeline for Atlanta Falcons to make Kirk Cousins trade
PFF names Kyle Pitts as Atlanta Falcons’ best trade chip, reveals his value
Would the Atlanta Falcons trade Kyle Pitts? He was the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. An elite talent, Pitts has surprisingly only earned one Pro Bowl nod in his four-year career, and there’s a sense that he’s capable of producing much more.
After all, he finished just fourth on the team in receiving yards with 602 last season. That came with a veteran quarterback leading the way too.
We’ve already seen Pitts record 1,026 yards as a rookie, and he’s due for a contract extension this offseason, considering he’s entering the final year of his contract. If the Falcons aren’t going to maximize his value, Pitts may prefer playing for another team who can.
As noted, PFF’s Bradley Locker recently highlighted each team’s best trade chip, and when it came to the Falcons, they named Pitts as the top option.
The Falcons could attract suitors for Kirk Cousins, but his waning play (72.3 PFF passing grade) and contract ($40 million cap hit in 2025) might complicate the team’s potential trade return. Meanwhile, Pitts is still only 24 and teeming with potential.
“Pitts came into the NFL as a fourth overall pick but, unfortunately, hasn’t lived up to the billing so far. His 70.1 PFF receiving grade over the past two years slots 17th out of 28 qualifying tight ends, and he hasn’t hit 1.50 yards per route run since 2022. As the Florida alumnus goes into a contract year, he could still be worth a Day 2 pick.”
PFF on Kyle Pitts
Teams that miss out on their top tight end target in what’s regarded as a strong draft class at the position should be elated with the idea of landing a somewhat proven option like Pitts, who still boasts superstar potential at the age of 24.
The trickiest part could be deciding how much Pitts is worth before the former first-round pick hits the open market next offseason.
Related: 2025 NFL mock draft: Who should the Falcons draft in the first round?
