Raheem Morris: We all know what Kyle Pitts could be if we push him

Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations that made him the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but Falcons coach Raheem Morris still believes Pitts has what it takes to be a starter in the NFL.

“If we can get this guy to gowe all know what he could be,” said Morris, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “That’s the coach’s job, to find out what a player can be and get the best out of him. I hope that I, along with my team and all of our coaches, can look for the best version of Kyle Pitts, because that will be very good for all of us.”

The Falcons backed up those words with the action of picking up Pitts’ fifth-year option, guaranteeing him a $10.9 million base salary in 2025. A team doesn’t do that to a player they don’t expect to contribute.

“He’s really excited to be healthy, and so are we,” Morris said. “Getting a healthy Kyle Pitts gives you a really dynamic player that we believe in a lot. Therefore, choosing your option [and] let it be part of our immediate future and, hopefully, our long-term future.

In terms of pure athletic talent, Pitts has traits that few tight ends in NFL history can match. It’s Morris and his team’s job to make Pitts produce according to his talent.