With free agency still not until March 11, there is plenty of time to decide which players the Atlanta Falcons will let walk this offseason. The biggest and most controversial pending free agent of them all is Kyle Pitts.
Despite an elite month of football, Pitts' four years of tragic mediocrity have placed him in purgatory. Alex Ballentine from Bleacher Report pieced together a lengthy list of every team's potential cap casualties, and it consists of multiple potential replacements new GM Ian Cunningham must consider.
While the Falcons' front office considers what to do with Pitts, let's assess which cap casualties or impending free agents could best replace him if they don't franchise tag him or pay him the big bucks.
The Falcons need to be on the look out for these two Kyle Pitts replacements this offseason
TJ Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
TJ Hockenson was an elite tight end before tearing his ACL in late 2023. He posted back-to-back 900+ yard seasons despite being traded midseason in 2022, but his production severely dipped this season.
Hockenson averaged 54 yards per game in 10 matchups after returning from injury in 2024, but this year was a different story. He played in 15 games and produced just 438 yards and three touchdowns, his worst performance since his 12-game rookie campaign.
Ballentine said that the Vikings would save $8.9 million by cutting Hockenson, and they might have good reason to. He's entering his age 29 season, has been consistently hurt, and struggled in 2025. And the Vikings just fired their GM, which has them gearing towards a complete roster tear-down.
These may all be reasons for the Falcons to steer clear, but wait just a second. He boasts a high ceiling, consistently and reliably gets first downs, and has a 68.9% career catch rate. If the Vikings cut ties this offseason, Atlanta can swoop in and pick him up on a cheap, short-term deal.
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
It's clear Kmet is no longer needed in Chicago and his time with the Bears is likely over. His production and usage has dwindled significantly since Ben Johnson invested a top-10 pick in Colston Loveland last offseason, so a reunion with Cunningham could be in the cards.
The Bears are projected to be severely over their cap allotment, and cutting Kmet pre-June 1 would save $8.4 million. While he would likely be a cheaper option to replace Pitts, he doesn't have the ceiling of other tight ends available.
His best season was in 2023 with 719 yards on 73 catches and six touchdowns. Outside of that, his production has been mediocre at best throughout his career.
On the bright side, he's entering just his age-27 season, and a change of scenery to pair him with Kevin Stefanski would do him some good. If, or probably when the Notre Dame product is cut, the Falcons should take a flier on Kmet, whom Cunningham helped sign to an extension in Chicago.
At the very least, Cunningham could still bring back Pitts and pair him with Kmet. Stefanski's offense loves tight ends, and could turn that duo into strong playmakers. Kmet won't transcend the entire offense, but his high floor provides stability amongst a chaotic offense in Atlanta.