The Atlanta Falcons are starting a new era with Matt Ryan leading the front office. But with the new president and a new general manager, Ian Cunningham, they are keeping a key piece of the old regime. The Falcons are planning on placing the franchise tag on Kyle Pitts, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

“The Falcons are planning to franchise tag standout TE Kyle Pitts, sources say, keeping their playmaker in the fold on a 1-year, fully guaranteed deal worth more than $15M,” Rapoport reported. “The hope is to work out a long-term deal rather than the tag. The two sides have until July to do it.”

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Pitts was the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Falcons and had a 1,000-yard season as a rookie. He has not reached that plateau in any of his four seasons since. But the 2025 season marked his best in many categories, including 118 targets, 88 catches, and five touchdowns. All of that includes a historic breakout game in Week 14, with 11 catches for 166 yards and three scores.

The Falcons have questions at quarterback heading into the season, with Michael Penix Jr recovering from an ACL injury. Will Kevin Stefanski and the new regime want Kirk Cousins back as the backup? And if they bring someone else in, what would that person have to do to take the starting role from Penix? Giving the offense a weapon like Pitts makes those questions easier to answer.

The Falcons will return Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson as one of the top offensive weapons units in the league in terms of talent. But the results in the regular season have not been there, as Pitts has never played in a playoff game. Will he sign a long-term deal with the Falcons? Or will he hit free agency next year?