Ben Solak suggests surprising AFC North team to make move for Kyle Pitts

Kyle Pitts has worked hard to recapture his rookie season breakout, but it hasn't happened. In the three years since his first 1000-yard season, he has only been able to get about 65% of the way there. After a number of years of failing to match his lone 1000-yard season, there's a question about where he goes next and how.

Writing in a Feb. 18 article for ESPN, NFL analyst Benjamin Solak predicted the tight end to get dealt to the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason.

"My prediction: Pitts will get dealt to the Bengals for a Day 3 pick," he wrote.

He reasoned that the Falcons could get more in the form of a trade than if they were to let him go organically. If they were to let him leave, they would receive a compensatory pick, but it wouldn't be as much as they could get for him on the trade market.

Kyle Pitts is in the final year of his rookie deal. The Falcons have shown interest in keeping him around for 2025 thanks to picking up his fifth-year option. However, they might have done that simply so they have the option to deal him at their leisure.

Potential Kyle Pitts trade presents one notable con

Kyle Pitts at Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings - Source: Imagn

After a down few years, Kyle Pitts is still young enough and has demonstrated a chance to explode in the right fit. If that happens with a new team in 2025, it might look great for them.

However, the other shoe would drop not long after. According to Spotrac, the tight end is going into the last year of his deal. If he were to perform well in 2025 and land a new extension, the new team would be forced to foot the bill.

Even worse, the tight end might ask for an extension up front as many traded players do. At that point, the Atlanta Falcons' trade partner might be forced to pay additional guarantees upfront without seeing him in action.

Kyle Pitts has already shown the ability to play well before in his career, so it wouldn't be a complete leap of faith. However, there's always a risk when paying for something one hasn't seen in action. Russell Wilson is perhaps the most extreme version of that lesson in recent memory.

Of course, if it is the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Burrow is reliable enough to help him out from the passing side of the equation.