No Atlanta Falcons player has been on as uneven ground as Kyle Pitts over the past five years. The former fourth-overall pick has been up and down on the field, in the middle of trade conversations, and an extension candidate.
But one avenue makes the most sense from the Falcons' perspective: franchise tag.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, that is what the front office is planning to do, even with the expensive price tag that'll follow. This week is when the franchise tag window opens up, so expect Pitts to be one of the biggest names tagged.
"There's some momentum around the league right now as I talk to people that Pitts could be franchise tagged at $16.3 million," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday. "So, a lot of people I've talked to with other teams, other agents, think that that will happen. Atlanta has not made a firm determination yet on Pitts' future, but if he does get to free agency, he's going to make a lot of coins. He's going to be looking for improved quarterback play"Scott Polacek (and Jeremy Fowler)
Falcons are planning on making the most sensical move by franchise tagging Kyle Pitts
The franchise tag is the bane of every NFL player. It teams an easy way to deny their big-name players their deserved long-term security -- for now. And that will likely be the case for Pitts.
After a big season in which he finished second in receiving yards for a tight end and continued his slow year-to-year touchdown march, he would get paid big bucks on the open market. When teams see that production and talent, they are willing to take a chance, but the Falcons may deny that.
Ian Cunningham is caught in a tough situation; his tight end has been inconsistent throughout his career and you must prepare to pay Drake London and Bijan Robinson. However, letting him walk means giving up a big-play threat who already has chemistry with Michael Penix Jr. and trying to find his replacement with limited resources.
Hence why the franchise tag is the best available option; it buys time to either evaluate his play for another season, try to get a reasonable extension finished, or trade him. Slapping the tag on him doesn't mean things are finished; he still has to sign it. We have seen players hold out for a variety of reasons, which can burn bridges permanently.
Ultimately, it is more likely than not that we will see the Dirty Birds use their first franchise tag since Grady Jarrett in 2019 -- who ended up agreeing to an extension before the deadline.