The New England Patriots were able to land the plane and bring in A.J. Brown as a pass-catching threat. Now, they’re already being connected in trade rumors with another one.
Yahoo Sports connected the Patriots with Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts. The former first-round pick would fill an immediate need for the Patriots and give Pitts a chance to hit the restart button after struggling to live up to expectations. So, from that perspective, it makes some sense.
“With the news of Julian Hill being placed on season-ending injured reserve, the Patriots could use another tight end on the roster,” Sophie Weller wrote. “And Kyle Pitts is believed to be a potential trade candidate despite the Falcons placing the franchise tag on him earlier this offseason. The team will need to sign him to an extension, but also have upcoming negotiations with Bijan Robinson and Drake London, so they could think now is the right time to trade him. The tight end finished the 2025 season with 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns.”
The Falcons reached for a tight end back in 2021, using the fourth-overall pick on Pitts. Even with a Pro Bowl season in 2021, Pitts has struggled to live up to those expectations. An MCL injury cut his 2022 season short, and he’s never had as many receiving yards as he did as a rookie, even with more receptions and touchdowns in 2025.
Pitts and Atlanta couldn’t come to terms on a contract extension. For now, he’s playing on a franchise tag, so the Patriots could want to make a trade and extend him.
Injuries Have Hit the New England Patriots at Tight End
GettyJulian Hill with the Miami Dolphins
Shortly after the trade for A.J. Brown was announced, the New England Patriots also announced a corresponding move. Tight end Julian Hill, who the Patriots signed on a three-year deal this offseason, was placed on IR. His season is over.
On Tuesday, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addressed the injury, explaining it happened during practice. He’d go on to call it “devastating, awful.”
This does a couple of things for the Patriots’ offense. First, it creates a battle for the second tight end slot behind Hunter Henry. After that, it likely changes the personnel offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is going to be able to use. In particular, the team hoped Hill would be a consistent in-line blocker this season.
The Patriots Have Other Options at Tight End
GettyChicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet
The most likely candidate for the Patriots to turn to as a second tight end would be Eli Raridon. A rookie who the Patriots drafted in the third round, he has raw talent. There are just some concerns about his injury history and needing to put on some weight for the NFL.
So, if New England wants to look outside the organization for another tight end, Pitts could be the answer. He’s not the only tight end potentially available in a trade, though. Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet is also out there.
“ESPN’s NFL analysts recently named four players as possible trade candidates, with Cole Kmet making the list. And with that, a trade for Kmet makes sense for the Patriots for reasons similar to why they might look at Pitts as an option. The final year of Kmet’s contract will be the 2027 season, and the Bears brought in Stanford’s Sam Roush with their third-round pick this past draft. During the 2025 season, Kmet finished with 30 receptions and two touchdowns,” Weller wrote.
The problem with any trade, as Patriots fans saw when it came to Brown, is finding the right price. Both Pitts and Kmet are going to cost them if that’s the route they go, but New England has already proven it’s all-in on this upcoming season.
New England Patriots Connected to Former Falcons First-Round Pick in Trade Rumor