Kyle Pitts - Is it ever a good idea to take a TE with the 4th pick in the draft? The answer is no!!! (1 Viewer)

[DerrickB]

TEs never touch the ball enough, to justify taking 4th in the 1st round. Taking Kyle Pitts with the 4th over all pick, is only one of many, really bad decisions the Atl front office have made this year.

KP is a mismatch problem for a lot positions on the field.

 

[sfidc3]

Pitts is an exception to me. He's not a true TE. Kind of a hybrid. He will be a mismatch for almost every backer and his size should kill slot corners. They knew they were losing Julio so they needed a mismatch threat and he could be that. Honestly dude could end up having a better career than most if not all of these receivers drafted this year.

I agree, but am also thrilled that Atlanta didn't upgrade their very average offensive line. I'm always happy when a divisional opponent takes a WR/TE that high in the draft....its why the Falcons are the Falcons.....

 

[2009ring]

I'm reserving judgement, if this turns out to be Graham or Gronk, then I don't think too many people in the disgusting state of Georgia will complain. Honestly I wouldnt

 

[abnrgr]

Pitts (IMO) is very similar to Michael Thomas only bigger. That’s an elite player. It gives ATL a possession receiver to pair with Ridley. They also have Hayden Hurst to play a Two TE set. I think Pitts was worth the pick because I think Michael Thomas was worth a top five pick. As pointed out, ATL’s problem is their failure to address the line and consistently investing only in skill players.

 

[Saint Taysom]

I’m hate the Failcons as much (probably more) than any other Saints fan, but there’s no way to put a positive spin on Kyle Pitts landing on the Falcons. He’s a complete beast! A #1 WR that can legitimately play as an in-line TE. If Travis Kelce and Calvin Johnson had a baby together, that baby would be Kyle Pitts. He was considered by many to be the best prospect in the entire draft.

The only thing that can stop him from being a perennial All Pro and constant thorn in the Saints side is injury.

 

[fnholmes]

I would never spend a 1st round pick on a tight end, but I agree with most that he is going to be a beast.

 

[bigcobra]

Can't really blame them for drafting him as he was BPA. However, I still found it somewhat ironic that they selected another pass catcher when their passing game has never been their problem. Despite a shoddy O-Line, I consider Ryan an extremely underappreciated QB, and I really really hate the Falcons. But Ryan and his receivers do their job. And despite what some have said, there is no way to know if trading Julio was even in the cards when this selection was made. So let us assume for the moment that Pitts will produce on par with what Julio wouldve done for the next couple years (which will be difficult as heck despite Julio's age. Ridley's emergence wouldve actually benefited Julio as well), how much better are the Falcons? About the exact same in my opinion. Now people will obviously point out the obvious fact that it was worth it for the Falcons because Pitts is so much younger. That is a valid point. However, these organizations are no longer operated with that mentality. The instability of the head office and coaching staff and the constant turnover of talent either because the front office needs cap space or because a star player decides he is gonna sit out and demand a trade for whatever adolescent reason mitigates the age gap imo. I didnt want Atlanta having a player of that caliber either added to that mix of Ridley and Julio. But once Julio got traded, I honestly see the same team they've been fielding.

I assume maybe the OP had a similar train of thought and maybe didnt express it clearly. I think the point was that this team has so many god awful glaring holes at pretty much every facet of the game except their passing attack, that the 4th pick would have been better suited addressing one of those. But as i stated in my first sentence, I don't blame them whether they knew at the time Julio would be traded or not. The guy appears to have that much upside.

 

[bigcobra]

I will say this tho. People suggesting that Pitts, a guy with a ton of upside yet still an unproven rookie, being paired with Ridley is somehow a more threatening opponent that freaking Julio Jones and Ridley the last few years either has a short memory or havent paid much attention to Julio Jones. This is a guy the Falcons traded the lot for and even I thought that was nuts at the time. But homeboy has been a super freaking stud. People on here just regurgitate what experts say. How many Pitts threads existed before the mock drafts came out in January? But all of a sudden, this guy is better than Julio. Lmao.

 

[liveoakh]

I will say this tho. People suggesting that Pitts, a guy with a ton of upside yet still an unproven rookie, being paired with Ridley is somehow a more threatening opponent that freaking Julio Jones and Ridley the last few years either has a short memory or havent paid much attention to Julio Jones. This is a guy the Falcons traded the lot for and even I thought that was nuts at the time. But homeboy has been a super freaking stud. People on here just regurgitate what experts say. How many Pitts threads existed before the mock drafts came out in January? But all of a sudden, this guy is better than Julio. Lmao.

I really felt Atlanta should have bit the bullet and rebuilt. Trade away Ryan, the only remaining player connected to blowing the lead in the super bowl. Drafted Justin Fields and used the picks from the Ryan and Jones trades to get back in to draft a DB and O lineman. A clean slate.

 

[Groovepro]

I really felt Atlanta should have bit the bullet and rebuilt. Trade away Ryan, the only remaining player connected to blowing the lead in the super bowl. Drafted Justin Fields and used the picks from the Ryan and Jones trades to get back in to draft a DB and O lineman. A clean slate.

I agree, but they it seems they took an easier path. I guess instead of fixing the D, they just want to score more points. Let the Falcons Falcon! LOL

With regard to a TE that early, if it is the BPA and can be a game changer for a position, any teams perceived value is valid for any spot. Perception is reality. I am not looking forward to defending Pitts 2 times a season, but our D might be built a bit better now as far as coverage (on paper) and I hope that is a major upgrade for Richard/Allen to lock up with coverage of TE's and possession guys in holes, dragging across the field, underneath and middle of the field. We will need help in that 3 safety look and Ceedy Deuce to ball and our LB's to step it up in coverage. It will interesting to see how we are scheming on D. We seem to be gravitating to faster rangy, long players. I guess no better way than to see it against good players. Our division has some quality skill position cats on O....unfortunately.

 

[liveoakh]

I agree, but they it seems they took an easier path. I guess instead of fixing the D, they just want to score more points. Let the Falcons Falcon! LOL

With regard to a TE that early, if it is the BPA and can be a game changer for a position, any teams perceived value is valid for any spot. Perception is reality. I am not looking forward to defending Pitts 2 times a season, but our D might be built a bit better now as far as coverage (on paper) and I hope that is a major upgrade for Richard/Allen to lock up with coverage of TE's and possession guys in holes, dragging across the field, underneath and middle of the field. We will need help in that 3 safety look and Ceedy Deuce to ball and our LB's to step it up in coverage. It will interesting to see how we are scheming on D. We seem to be gravitating to faster rangy, long players. I guess no better way than to see it against good players. Our division has some quality skill position cats on O....unfortunately.

They will not catch us sleeping on him. He will draw a double, till we see what he's got.

 

[BreesusSaves]

I'm more concerned with Ridley. Pitts is a fantastic talent but he is literally the exact prototype that Lattimore erases from existence. Lattimore can't cover the shifty speed receivers in the league. They're the guys we see Lattimore routinely struggle with.

 

[Groovepro]

They will not catch us sleeping on him. He will draw a double, till we see what he's got.

I see what you are saying and don't dispute it, but I think the opposite tactic. They focus on Ridley, because you can't just double an unproven NFL rookie (no matter how dangerous he could be) and leave Ridley to his own devices. That man (Ridley) is dangerous. I feel they would target Ridley and see what Pitts is capable of, first. Either way, teams need to get a measuring stick on him in the NFL first, in whatever way they seem fit. I would target the proven until otherwise. Matt Ryan is a smart QB and whatever they do, he has 2 potentially lethal pass catchers in a quick fire offense.

Ugh...now I don't even want to think about it. LOL

 

[Snakehead]

So many people are hung on one what position Pitts is classified as. Yes, he's a TE, but he's a receiver (doesn't matter if he's a TE or WR) and they plan to line him up at the X. They also knew they were going to trade or potentially release Julio before the season started. The 2021 Falcons offense from the time the pick was made was going to be Ridley, Gage and Pitts as the top 3 receiving weapons.

 

[Nolan]

I really felt Atlanta should have bit the bullet and rebuilt. Trade away Ryan, the only remaining player connected to blowing the lead in the super bowl. Drafted Justin Fields and used the picks from the Ryan and Jones trades to get back in to draft a DB and O lineman. A clean slate.

They are rebuilding. Ryan isn't tradable with that contract, but they can get out of it next year. Them taking Pitts doesn't mean they aren't rebuilding because that's exactly what they're doing. Just instead of drafting their QB this year, they'll get him next year.