The latest Kansas City Chiefs trade rumor is a bit outside of the box: Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.
A-to-Z Sports KC media insider Charles Goldman suggested Pitts as a better alternative after ESPN’s Bill Barnwell urged the Chiefs to trade for veteran TE Zach Ertz — and his reasoning was sound.
“There has been some speculation that the Falcons could trade TE Kyle Pitts after a disappointing start to the 2023 NFL season,” Goldman explained. “It’s becoming increasingly clear that Atlanta is a quarterback away from competing and a Pitts trade could help them secure that player in the 2024 NFL draft.”
He went on to detail the former first-round talent’s prowess as a pass-catcher (more on that below), before adding that Pitts could also become a long-term replacement option for Travis Kelce at just 23 years of age.
“Pitts has this year and next year remaining on his rookie contract, and the potential for an acquiring team to pick up his fifth-year option,” Goldman pointed out, concluding: “That certainly feels like the better path forward than trading for a player like Ertz, who is closer to the end of his career than he is to the height of it.”
Falcons’ Kyle Pitts Could Become Legitimate Weapon for Patrick Mahomes & Chiefs via Trade
This is really creative stuff from Goldman. Not only is Pitts a legitimate weapon for Patrick Mahomes, but he’s an underrated one that could potentially be acquired for far less than his actual worth.
After being drafted fourth overall in 2021, Pitts flashed a glimpse of what he could be — snagging 68 receptions for 1,026 yards and a touchdown. It was deemed a Pro Bowl campaign by voters, and the “Unicorn’s” NFL career was off and running.
Matt Ryan was still quarterback in 2021. Since then, Pitts has been saddled with a combination of Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder.
Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has also further transitioned Atlanta into a run-first offense that prefers a dual-threat TE like Jonnu Smith to a 6-foot-6 mismatch machine like Pitts.
It’s no secret that this is just a bad fit for Pitts, and his regression has reflected that.
Having said that, the third-year pro fits the Chiefs offense like a glove. “The box score might not show it, but he’s been dominant at creating separation and getting open this season, be it against cornerbacks, safeties, or linebackers,” Goldman stated in his article. “He just needs a quarterback who can consistently get him the football.”
Mahomes can obviously be that guy, but not only that, Pitts is also a better version of injured tight end Jody Fortson. When the 6-foot-4 red zone threat went down, the KC offense did lose an underrated piece — and we’re talking about a former undrafted free agent.
Pitts has a similar skillset; except he was a dominant college playmaker and a top-five talent in the draft. It’s not even debatable that this trade candidate makes KC better both short-term and in the long run with Noah Gray as the only current TE option once Kelce declines.
What Might It Cost Chiefs to Trade for Kyle Pitts?
The trade return would be an interesting question here. The Falcons are still in the playoff hunt, so they wouldn’t be desperate to trade away Pitts.
Having said that, a couple more lousy seasons in this offense and his value keeps declining — meaning it might be smarter to trade him while he still has two-plus years of team control left including that fifth-year option.
Pitts’ contract is much more affordable than your average WR1 — another positive. According to Over the Cap, the 2023 and 2024 cap hits are approximately $8.9 million and $10.4 million.
The Falcons are charged with his prorated bonus ($5.3 million) each year, even after a trade, but the two teams would likely discuss the financials depending on compensation.
Would Atlanta ask for a first-round pick? Or would Pitts only cost some sort of mid-round selection? These are all fair questions.
One thing’s for sure, we’ve seen high-end prospects get dealt for a lot less than expected before, and Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has a history of taking chances on young players with high ceilings.
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Chiefs Writer Suggests 6-Foot-6 Tight End as Creative Trade Target