Kyle Pitts signed his franchise tag and reported to the Atlanta Falcons voluntary workouts on Tuesday. While this may not seem like big news, it is. He reserved the right to hold out for long-term financial security, much like we have seen from several other big-name players in the last few years.
However, his decision shouldn't be the end for the Falcons. Pitts is currently the highest-paid tight end in the NFL and has a cap hit of $15.045 million. At that point, why would you not sign him to a long-term deal?
Kyle Pitts will officially sign his $15.045M franchise tag this week, making him the highest paid TE in football for the 2026 season.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) April 7, 2026
The Falcons still have until July 15th to negotiate a multi-year extension with the 25-year-old. pic.twitter.com/UzMISp8k6l
With them paying him this much anyways, it leaves new general manager Ian Cunningham with one choice: extend the Pro Bowl tight end. Doing so will lessen the cap hit, reward the player, and secure a top-notch threat for the long run.
Falcons are left with one choice after Kyle Pitts signs franchise tag
The last time the Dirty Birds placed a franchise tag on a player, it turned into an extension before the deadline hit. This was when Thomas Dimitroff tagged Grady Jarrett -- which ironically was also for just over $15 million -- and eventually came to an extension agreement before the deadline hit.
Cunningham should be seeking a similar solution before the July 15 deadline. If he doesn't, his team will need to sidestep the most expensive tight end salary in 2026 and risk losing him next offseason in free agency.
We saw last year that Pitts can be a No. 1 option in any offense. After all, he is the most physically gifted player at his position in NFL history.
You also have to look at the new structure of this team after the regime change. Kevin Stefanski used multiple tight ends as much as anyone during his time in Cleveland. Losing Pitts after one season would be detrimental.
The team doesn't have enough draft capital to secure the future at the position in the 2026 NFL Draft. Pitts should be the long-term solution at the important position.
Of course, there has been talk about the Falcons trading him. Certainly, this is in the cards because of his contractual standing. But, again, who do you turn to without the 6-foot-6 specimen? Charlie Woerner is strictly a blocker, while Austin Hooper is a solid complementary option. Nowhere on the roster is there a starting receiving threat.
We saw last year when Drake London was injured how catastrophic it is to lose a top pass-catcher. It is a terrible idea to put Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa through that. One of Cunningham's top tasks between now and mid-April is to figure out an extension with Pitts, while also preparing to do the same with Bijan Robinson and Drake London.