New England Patriots
Kyle Pitts might give New England a dynamic pass-catching choice for Drake Maye.
Only a few weeks after the Patriots’ flatlining offense reared its head in a lopsided Tremendous-Bowl loss to Seattle, it ought to come as little shock that New England’s preliminary offseason musings have revolved round upgrades throughout the workforce’s offensive depth chart.
Past questions over New England’s offensive line, the writing has been on the wall that the Patriots want so as to add one other prime weapon or two to Drake Maye’s pass-catching arsenal shifting ahead — particularly given the shortage of separation that the Patriots’ wideouts have been capable of obtain towards sticky secondaries throughout postseason motion.
You’ve heard loads of the names already. Expensive free-agent targets like Alec Pierce or Wan’Dale Robinson would characterize an improve — however would additionally considerably reduce into New England’s cap house.
Pierce, for instance, is projected to land a contract with an annual cap hit of $25.5 million — per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.
A commerce for a confirmed veteran like A.J. Brown would price each draft capital and cap house to accommodate his important contract.
After all, these steep costs shall be nicely price it if the Patriots give Maye one other dynamic choice to show to throughout essential stretches in 2026 and past.
But when Eliot Wolf, Ryan Cowden, Mike Vrabel and the remainder of the Patriots’ prime brass want to get inventive this offseason, might the tight-end market current the most effective path for New England to improve its offensive personnel?
It feels evident that the Patriots’ tight-end room is due for some change within the coming months. Austin Hooper is about to be a free agent, whereas a dependable goal in Hunter Henry isn’t getting any youthful at 31 years previous.
A free-agent goal like Isaiah Seemingly — a former Everett Excessive Faculty standout — has drawn some consideration past his native ties as a possible red-zone goal in New England.
But when New England is on the prowl for a real dynamic pass-catcher, the highest tight finish in the marketplace in Kyle Pitts would make loads of sense if the Falcons don’t hit him with a franchise tag.
The fourth-overall decide within the 2021 NFL Draft, Pitts didn’t precisely stay as much as the preliminary hype as a real transformative weapon after tormenting SEC defenses throughout his collegiate days at Florida.
That sentiment modified in 2025.
The 25-year-old Pitts was one of many extra impactful gamers at his place throughout the NFL this previous yr — incomes Second Group All-Professional honors after reeling in 88 catches for 928 yards and 5 touchdowns.
On a Patriots workforce that didn’t precisely boast an offensive personnel chock filled with twitchy, explosive athletes able to breaking tackles and gaining yards after the catch, the 6-foot-6 Pitts could be a welcome addition.
Pitts wouldn’t essentially be the reply in the case of New England’s need so as to add a confirmed blocker to their tight-end grouping. However the tape speaks for itself in the case of Pitts’ means to reel in deep passes, transfer the chains off crossers, and function a matchup nightmare for linebackers and defensive backs.
Somewhat than allocate over $23-25 million in cap house for a wideout like Pierce or Brown, Pitts may also be a extra reasonably priced choice — on condition that New England has loads of different areas to shore up this offseason because it tries to construct off of final yr’s breakout marketing campaign.
The Athletic’s free-agent projections have Pitts in line for a four-year, $70 million contract — equating to a extra manageable $17.5 million cap hit if the Patriots might get him to signal on the dotted line.
The Patriots will welcome any type of offseason pickup that may stretch the sphere and add extra playmaking potential to an already explosive offense.
Pitts positively matches that invoice.
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