Picture USA TODAY Sports activities Photographs Followers (and fantasy house owners) have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Kyle Pitts ever since he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the fourth total choose within the 2021 NFL Draft out of the College of Florida. A breakout season.
Coming into the fourth yr of their careers, these males are nonetheless ready, like a monument to persistence.
Pitts has established himself as a dependable receiving tight finish.
However he did not fairly develop into the explosive weapon many predicted he could be, scoring 12 touchdowns throughout his senior season with the Gators, which ranked third amongst all FBS receivers in the course of the 2020 season. Pitts could not discover the top zone practically as usually as execs. He scored simply three touchdowns final season and has six touchdowns in 44 profession NFL video games.
Will fortunes change this season for the 6-foot-6, 23-year-old tight finish?
There are causes to be optimistic.
Before everything, Pitts has a brand new quarterback throwing passes to him this yr.
The Falcons signed veteran guard Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in March, then used the eighth total choose within the 2024 draft to amass Washington Huskies product Michael Penix Jr. , he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals for extensive receiver Rondale Moore.
Reid did not have a lot luck getting the ball to Pitts in the suitable place on the proper time. Though Pitts was focused 90 occasions final season (tied for ninth amongst tight ends), superior analytics web site FantasyPros rated solely 57 of these as catchable. Pitts has simply 4 catches in 53 receptions this season. Of the tight ends within the NFL who had been focused no less than 80 occasions final season, nobody had fewer catches than Pitts.
Though Cousins did not play all of final season, he usually favored tight ends within the Minnesota offense. TJ Hockenson led the Vikings with 95 catches final yr and was second amongst all tight ends within the league. Within the 2022 season, after the Vikings acquired Hockenson in a mid-season commerce with the Detroit Lions, Cousins focused Hockenson 86 occasions in 10 video games.
Kirk Cousins Picture Credit score: Getty Photographs The 35-year-old veteran Cousins additionally led the crew in asking Pitts for extra.
“I encourage him to make use of that size as a lot as doable,” Cousins stated. “Each time he lets the ball go into his physique, I inform him, ‘That is not ok. It is best to by no means let it go into your physique. You are too good to let it into your physique.
For the Penix, Washington tight finish Jack Westover completed third among the many Huskies in receptions final season as they reached the Faculty Soccer Playoff Championship Recreation. Handed 46 occasions and scored 4 factors. Irrespective of who the Falcons have at quarterback this season, they appear to have a knack for getting the ball to their tight ends.
Another excuse to be ok with Pitts getting into this season is that he’s taking part in in a brand new offense. The Falcons fired former head coach Arthur Smith and changed him with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. When he obtained the Atlanta job, Morris introduced Zach Robinson — the Rams’ passing recreation coordinator and quarterbacks coach the previous two seasons — to run the offense with him.
Now, Robinson’s x’s and o’s did not make Rams tight finish Tyler Higbee a famous person, however the case could possibly be made that Higbee was extra productive than Pitts over the previous three seasons. Throughout that span, Higbee caught 180 passes and scored 10 touchdowns, whereas Pitts had 149 catches and 6 touchdowns.
Robinson’s scheme was presupposed to be an improve over Pitts, the place he would play tight finish and a few extensive receiver.
“He is principally studying two totally different positions,” Robinson advised The Atlanta Journal-Structure. “So, he is obtained rather a lot on his plate. He is dealing with it very well. I am excited to see him proceed to get extra snug within the system… We will use him as a defender, we will use him As a catcher.
If the mix of a brand new head coach, new offensive coordinator and new quarterback cannot create an surroundings for Pitts to thrive, perhaps he will not develop into the Professional Bowler many suppose he will be. This season could possibly be a vital one for his improvement.
