Despite receiving a franchise tag, the Atlanta Falcons are still open for business and could wind up trading rising star tight end Kyle Pitts before the 2026 Regular Season. Under a new regime, it’s not surprising that GM Ian Cunningham is open to the idea of moving Pitts and creating a new environment to install a fresh start. Cunningham fueled trade speculation once again by stating that while Pitts is a “great player,” it’s his job to “listen,” which means that he isn’t shooting down the thought of trading the tight end. While it sounds like the team is committed to retaining Pitts, it shouldn’t be a shock if he’s moved on night 1 of the NFL Draft.
Even though Pitts had a slow start in at least two of his four seasons as an NFL player, Pitts made strong strides during the 2025 campaign. The tight end finished with 88 catches for 928 yards and a career-high five touchdowns.
Falcons “Could Still” Trade Former First-Round Pro Bowler Kyle Pitts – Top 3 Fits
There hasn’t been much smoke about Kyle Pitts sitting out of the Falcons’ training camp this offseason. However, after hearing Cunningham’s comments, it might be the right thing for the team to dissect whether the Falcons are committed to him. This might be the route that the Falcons take, and he would have the upper hand in negotiations either way.
Unfortunately, the team is likely to trade Pitts since they have star RB Bijan Robinson’s contract to worry about. Robinson is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027, but it’s anticipated that the team will give him a monster contract. This likely will spell the end of Pitts’ tenure, and these three teams could give him a fresh start.
Possible Next Teams
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are coming off one of the most surprising seasons since the Tom Brady Era. Quarterback Drake Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel have shown they’re in a new era despite the team’s Super Bowl loss. This means it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Patriots get aggressive right before the season starts. After already signing WR Romeo Doubs, the Patriots need a boost in their tight end unit.
Pairing Pitts with Hunter Henry would be an elite combo for Maye. New England is the perfect place for Pitts to grow into a superstar, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Vrabel get him.
Kansas City Chiefs
Speaking of Super Bowl aspirations, the Kansas City Chiefs are the dark-horse team in this situation. Even though the team extended Veteran tight end Travis Kelce, he should be retiring in 2027. While they have Noah Gray, who could emerge as a starter, the team grabbing Pitts would be an elite move for Patrick Mahomes. Pitts has the size and athleticism to operate as a receiver in situational moments, and that’s what the Chiefs need, which the team struggled with last season after missing Rashee Rice for the majority of the 2025 season.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are rebuilding as well, but they’re not far off from another postseason run. The team snuck itself into a wild-card led by John Harbaugh, who was ultimately fired due to inconsistencies. After letting Isaiah Likely hit the market, the Ravens might’ve retained Mark Andrews, but it probably won’t stop Jesse Minter from getting Pitts to strengthen the pass-game for Lamar Jackson.