Atlanta sees the talent they want to build around in Kyle Pitts.
After being labeled a bust following four lackluster seasons, Pitts, the No. 4 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, had a breakout campaign in 2025, the final year of his rookie contract.
The Falcons have opted to franchise tag Pitts, according to the NFL Network, which reported that Atlanta also hopes to work out a long-term deal with Pitts.
With Atlanta looking to pay Pitts big money going forward, the Falcons will be in a tough spot to fit in other pieces around him.
The franchise tag for a tight end is expected to be within the $15 million-$16 million range for the 2026 season.
Pitts will likely be looking for a contract in the neighborhood of, if not higher than, what Jake Ferguson got last year with the Cowboys.
Ferguson agreed to a four-year, $50 million deal with the Cowboys last season, including $30 million in guaranteed money.
That contract ranks as the fourth-highest active deal among tight ends, and the seventh-highest with an annual cap hit of $12.5 million. The franchise tag is an average of the five biggest contracts at the position.
Pitts was second in the NFL last season among tight ends in receiving yards with 928 yards.
Pitts had surely been a free agent target for many teams in the NFL this year, perhaps even the Giants, who have some cap space to play with as they build around star quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The Falcons finished 8-9, tied for first in the NFC South but falling behind Tampa Bay and Carolina on tiebreakers.
A little good news regarding Pitts could go a long way this offseason.
Atlanta traded its 2026 first-round draft pick to the Rams to move up in last year’s draft to select pass rusher James Pearce Jr.
Pearce Jr. was arrested earlier this month on five felony charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and stalking related to a domestic dispute involving WNBA player Rickea Jackson.