Analyst Floats Steelers Trade for Falcons Playmaker

The Pittsburgh Steelers largely addressed their woes when it came to the receiving corps that had plagued them last season when they acquired and subsequently extended DK Metcalf to a multi-year deal with the team.

That being said, the tight end group was not necessarily impressive last season, with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington playing alright, but not excellent.

Now, writers at Pro Football Network believe a possible reunion between Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and his former tight end in Atlanta Falcons' Kyle Pitts could be a possibility. Despite his high draft selection, Pitts has yet to perform to his supposed ceiling, leading to a possible reclamation project in Pittsburgh.

“Kyle Pitts could be an underrated trade asset,” Pro Football Network wrote. “Pitts is playing out the fifth-year option on his rookie deal after averaging a career-low 35.4 receiving yards per game. Atlanta already has an impending mega-contract extension looming for Drake London, and Pitts played under 40 snaps per game for the first time in his career with a new coaching staff.”

Despite a lack of production last season, Pitts is still quite young, turning 25 during the coming season. His professional peak to this point came during his rookie year, when he was named a 2021 Pro Bowler. With just ten receiving touchdowns across four seasons, the market on Pitts is likely much lower than it would have been at this time last year, giving the Steelers an opportunity to buy low.

With Freiermuth's contract not set to expire until the end of the 2028 season, it is unlikely they would be interested in taking Pitts on as a starter, unless they can find quite good trade value for Freiermuth. The highest likelihood would be the Steelers retaining their current room going into the coming season.