NFL Trade Rumors: Falcons make Kyle Pitts stance clear amid Cowboys links
Are the Atlanta Falcons interested in trading tight end Kyle Pitts? That was a question posed during the offseason. The narrative has continued through the start of this season as Pitts seems to be underused in the Atlanta Falcons offense.
NFL Network reporter Jane Slater decided to find out the player's status for herself. She wrote on social media that she heard a fellow NFL reporter suggest that the Dallas Cowboys should inquire about the Falcons tight end and added that she contacted her source at the Atlanta Falcons about the possibility.
"The Cowboys are always looking to bolster their offense, so when I heard a show say Dallas should call Atlanta to see if Kyle Pitts is available, I checked into it. A source with the Falcons’ answer when I asked “LOL. No way.”
Slater said her source at the Atlanta Falcons said there was 'no way' that the organization would part with Kyle Pitts. So, the apparent rumor about Pitts being available for a possible trade is just that, a rumor.
Kyle Pitts stats show TE is under-utilized
The Atlanta Falcons drafted tight end Kyle Pitts with the fourth-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Some saw the selection as a way to get then-Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan a speedy offensive target.
However, the Falcons offense has been a quarterback carousel the last few seasons. In his rookie season, Pitts showed his ability to play at the next level, having 68 receptions for 1,026 yards but scoring just one touchdown.
A hamstring injury and a torn MCL hampered his 2022 NFL season and he caught just 28 passes for 356 yards and two touchdowns.
The Falcons deciding to start second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder Week 1 of this season hasn't helped. Although he is the leading receiver on the team, he hit a season-high nine targets for five catches and 41 total yards.
The Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions happened to be the most productive game of the season for Pitts. He had just two catches in each of the previous two games this season.
He has just 100 total yards through the first three weeks and has yet to catch his first touchdown of the season.
Now that the question of a trade has been presented, will the Falcons choose to utilize their tight end better? That is a question many NFL fans now have.