The Nest ATL’s Miles Garrett dives into one of the biggest roster questions facing the Atlanta Falcons this offseason: what to do with tight end Kyle Pitts as he approaches unrestricted free agency.
Pitts, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft, rebounded in 2025 with one of the best seasons of his career, finishing second among all NFL tight ends in receptions and receiving yards and scoring a career-high five touchdowns. With his fifth-year option expired and the new league year set to begin March 11, Atlanta must decide whether to re-sign him to a long-term deal, let him test the open market, or use the franchise tag to keep him in town for 2026.
The most straightforward route would be a multi-year contract that keeps Pitts as the centerpiece of Atlanta’s passing game. Projections suggest a deal in the neighborhood of four years, roughly $43 million, though market dynamics could push his price even higher if other teams show interest. A long-term extension would give Pitts stability and likely a prominent role in new head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense, which historically leans on its tight ends. Letting Pitts hit free agency, on the other hand, could give Atlanta compensatory draft pick leverage but risks losing one of the game’s most dynamic offensive weapons to a rival.
As a middle option, the Falcons could use the franchise tag — a designation they’ve employed just three times since the system began in 1993 — to lock Pitts up for one more season at a projected $15-16 million salary while they continue negotiations. Atlanta’s limited history with the tag underscores how unusual such a move would be, but many analysts believe it’s a real possibility given Pitts’s production and value. The decision on the tag must be made by the March 3 deadline, and whichever path Atlanta chooses will signal how aggressively the franchise plans to build around its young, ascending tight end.
