Kyle Pitts was supposed to be a superstar.
But then the Atlanta Falcons tight end never lived up to the level of his rookie season.
Now, he's facing a future that may take him elsewhere. Pitts is a free agent after the season, and the Falcons may not be in a position to bring him back.
Will Kyle Pitts be back with Falcons in 2026?
The early feeling from ESPN NFL insider Marc Raimondi is that Pitts won't return to Atlanta because they'll have other offseason priorities.
"He has not fulfilled the potential many thought he had coming out of college, nor has he duplicated his 1,000-yard rookie season," Raimondi wrote on Friday. "But he has been solid in 2025, with the sixth-most receptions (47) and 10th-most receiving yards (434) among tight ends. Will that be enough to justify a franchise tag or extension? Probably not, as the team has many other needs. Pitts said in training camp that he planned on waiting until after the season to sort out his future."
Because of Pitts' promising past and his pedigree, it seems likely that some team will shell out a rather big contract for him.
The Falcons' run defense is something Raimondi cites as a bigger priority than keeping Pitts around.
If Atlanta lets Pitts leave, it'll have to find a new starting tight end, but there'll likely be choices that are cheaper than Pitts.
Nothing is a given at this point, but Pitts' future sure seems like it might be elsewhere.
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