With the fourth pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected tight end, Kyle Pitts. As a rookie, Pitts showed he was well worth the high selection.
Pitts had a 1,000-yard season as a rookie tight end, one of the most difficult positions to acclimate to as a professional. However, Pitts seemed to have a strong understanding of what he needed to do on his end. As a result, Pitts had a rookie year breakout at one of the hardest positions to master in the league.
The Falcons sophomore looks ready to best his rookie year if training camp is anything to go off.
The concentration from Kyle Pitts 🦄
He will have ____ yards in year two?
(via @AtlantaFalcons)pic.twitter.com/G7WgiOeTvA
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) August 5, 2022
Kyle Pitts will benefit from addition by subtraction
It is no secret that wide receiver Calvin Ridley will miss this upcoming season. People compared his year-long suspension to Deshaun Watson’s six-game discipline numerous times.
However, that could vastly benefit Pitts. After all, that leaves one less mouth to feed in the Falcons offense.
Pitts led the Falcons in targets, receptions and yards as a rookie; who’s to say that he won’t improve upon these numbers? It is a more accomplishable goal now that Ridley will miss the entire season.
Ridley was not around much last season, but he played in five games and had over 50 targets. Those targets will be vacant since his suspension lasts the whole year.
Pitts’ competition is the man brought in to replicate Ridley’s production, Drake London.
Drake London turns the Mike Ford around on a red zone route for the Touchdown. What a talent! pic.twitter.com/3tfL8mOK7f
— Adnan Ikic (@SayWhichWay) July 30, 2022
London is a great-looking talent; however, his presence shouldn’t take away from Pitts. They occupy different roles in the offense, after all.
However, there is one major change that happened this offseason for the Falcons aside from the Ridley suspension.
Marcus Mariota can help Pitts thrive
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70961097/usa_today_18360130.0.jpg "The Underrated Reason Why Kyle Pitts could be the Best Tight End in the NFL 1")
After 14 seasons in Atlanta, the Falcons traded franchise cornerstone, Matt Ryan, to the Indianapolis Colts. As a result, the team needed a new quarterback. Hence, the organization brought in Marcus Mariota for the job.
Mariota was the understudy for Derek Carr for two seasons, but he has starting experience in the league.
The former second overall pick has a 29-32 record as a starter and has yet to surpass 3,500 passing yards in a season. However, there is reason to be optimistic that Mariota will be a good quarterback for Pitts to thrive with.
The above statistics on the quarterback do not paint a pretty picture for the offense, but the whole painting is not a finished product yet.
A look at what Delanie Walker did with Mariota at the helm is a reason to believe Pitts could ball out in 2022.
Before sustaining injuries in 2018 and 2019, Walker’s first three years with Mariota were spectacular. The tight end had over 100 targets, 800 yards and 65 receptions during these years. During this time, Walker finished as a top-five tight end or higher in fantasy.
This wasn’t prime Walker either; this was him at age 30 and over while Mariota did this with him.
On the other hand, Pitts is young and fast. He could crush the marks that Walker had. As a result, there is a real chance for him to be the best tight end in the league this year.
