The Atlanta Falcons shocked everyone on Tuesday night by signing tight end Kye Pitts to a three-year, $54 million extension, eliminating the franchise tag from the equation.
We didn't know if the front office would prioritize him after the Drake London extension and the impending Bijan Robinson extension. But, they are committed to him for the long run as a key piece in Kevin Stefanski's offense.
It puts a lot of pressure on the team to prove why they paid one of their most volatile players so much money.
Falcons have to prove Kyle Pitts is a big piece of their offense
Pitts has been lost in the shuffle when the offense is fully healthy. Robinson is the clear-cut centerpiece, while London is the top receiving threat. There have also been other contributors here and there during Pitts' tenure.
The 2026 depth chart could make things even worse for him. There is more mouths to feed this year than there has been since the Julio Jones days. Paying Pitts $54M is a risk because he is the No. 3 option, at best. We may even see him slip lower than that.
Last year, the he was forced into being the leading receiving threat with London's injury and poor wide receiver depth. He proved he could take on the challenge, finishing with 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns in a breakout year.
However, he hadn't reached the 700-yard mark since his rookie season in 2021 because he was over-shadowed by other players. This isn't about him not being worth or good enough for money -- he is. It is about his potential lack of opportunities with all the talent he is surrounded by.
Pitts' $18 million per year at the position makes him the third-highest-paid player at the position, behind George Kittle ($19.1M) and Trey McBride ($19M) and ahead of Travis Kelce ($17.1M).
The difference between the Falcons star and the others is the others are the first or second options in their respective offenses. The amount of money Ian Cunningham paid him puts him in a scenario where he has to match or exceed last year's numbers. Honestly, it's hard to see him doing that.
There is so much more depth with the additions of Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Zachariah Branch, that Pitts won't be in a position where he is the No. 1 target on every single snap.
Fortunately, Stefanski has made his name as having one of the game's best tight-end schemes. He often goes two or three deep on the field to help his running and play-action game -- making Pitts a key member of the air attack. We will see if he can live up to his contract.
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