FLOWERY BRANCH -- Tight end Kyle Pitts had his $10.4 million fifth-year option picked up by the Falcons on Monday.
The Falcons selected Pitts No. 4 overall in 2021 -- the highest a tight end has ever been selected in NFL draft history. The Falcons are hopeful that Pitts is ready to bounce back in his fourth season after catching only 53 of 90 targets for 667 yards and three touchdowns last season.
He’s now under contract through the 2025 season.
“We have a lot of faith in Kyle,” Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said recently. “Obviously, he was dealing with an injury last season. Look, he fought through and finished the season.”
The Falcons clearly believe that Pitts’ knee injury that he sustained in 2022 still was a factor during the 2023 season. He was not listed with any new injuries.
“But now, he’s healthy,” Fontenot said. “He can have a healthy offseason. We are very excited about our new tight ends coach, coach (Kevin) Koger, and obviously Zac Robinson our offensive coordinator, we’re very excited about them.”
The Falcons are hoping that Pitts can revert to his rookie season, when he made the Pro Bowl. Pitts was the first player selected by Fontenot.
Pitts had a fantastic rookie season followed by two not-so-spectacular campaigns.
You can blame part of that on the drop-off in quarterback play with the Falcons going from Matt Ryan to the Marcus Mariota/Desmond Ridder situation.
You can blame part of Pitts’ drop-off on injuries to his knee, hand and an undisclosed injury, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The quarterback issue has been addressed with the signing of Kirk Cousins in free agency and the drafting of Michael Penix, Jr. When Cousins gets back healthy, that should solve the quarterback issue for at least the next two seasons and maybe three or four seasons.
When asked by the AJC if this was a big season for Pitts, Fontenot did not want to single him out.
“Yeah, I think Kyle’s even said it, how excited he is,” Fontenot said. “It’s a big year for not just Kyle, but Kyle, Drake (London), Bijan (Robinson), go through our guys. Our offensive line. All those guys.”
Several players taken after Pitts are off to great starts to their careers in Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase, Detroit’s Penei Sewell and Dallas’ Micah Parsons.
Chase was taken fifth and has made three Pro Bowls. Sewell was taken seventh and has made two Pro Bowls and helped Detroit reach the NFC championship game last season. He also was named All-Pro last season.
The Lions picked up Sewell’s fifth-year option and signed him to a four-year extension worth $112 million earlier in April
Parsons was taken 12th and has been named to three Pro Bowls and was All-Pro twice while working under former Falcons coach Dan Quinn when he was the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator.
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