In each of their last three seasons, the Atlanta Falcons finished with a 7-10. Additionally, they’ve missed the playoffs in six straight seasons. The Falcons parted ways with former head coach Arthur Smith this offseason. To replace him, they hired a familiar face in Raheem Morris.
Not having a competent QB has plagued the Falcons over the last few seasons. Players like Matt Ryan, Marcus Mariota, and Desmond Ridder did not get the job done. That’s why the team went out and signed free agent QB Kirk Cousins this offseason. Cousins has talented weapons to work with on offense. One of them is TE Kyle Pitts who is dealing with a hamstring injury heading into Week 1. It’s unknown if Pitts could miss the season opener this Sunday.
Kyle Pitts will be a limited participant at practice on Wednesday
A pre-Week 1 injury: https://t.co/rSjdwYoHOL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 4, 2024
With the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the Falcons selected TE Kyle Pitts out of Florida. As a rookie, Pitts had 68 receptions for 1,026 yards and a touchdown. For where he was drafted, Atlanta hoped Pitts would have had a more explosive season in year one. However, there was optimism for the young TE in year two with the Falcons. Despite the hope, Pitts had a worse sophomore campaign than he did as a rookie. Pitts played in 10 of the Falcons’ 17 games in 2022 and had just 28 catches for 356 yards and two touchdowns. Last season, Pitts played in all 17 games for Atlanta and made 15 starts.
He had 53 receptions for 667 yards and three touchdowns. Pitts has failed to have another 1,000-yard season since his rookie year. The Falcons are hopeful Kirk Cousins can help unlock Pitts and make him a top-five TE in the league. With Pitts on the injury report to start Week 1, there’s a chance the TE is used sparingly vs. the Steelers. The last thing the Falcons want is for Pitts to suffer a long-term injury and miss time. Earlier this offseason, Pitts was dealing with a hamstring injury that appears to be reoccurring. Not a great sign for the 23-year-old. Can Kyle Pitts have a bounce-back year in 2024 after two shaky seasons in a row?
