Coming into the offseason, many described the Falcons as a talented, yet underachieving roster that was the proverbial ‘quarterback away’ from competing.
Raheem Morris arrived in Atlanta and immediately acknowledged the need for an influx of talent at the position. The new Falcons head coach got his wish. The quarterback room underwent a complete overhaul, going from Desmond Ridder to Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix.
The hope is that Cousins can elevate the Falcons offense, which features three top 10 picks, and help Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson realize their full potential.
As far as Robinson and London go, we aren’t quite sure what they’re capable of because they’ve only dealt with poor quarterback play. However, we know what Pitts can do with a competent signal caller.
With an aging Matt Ryan, the highest-drafted tight end in league history nearly broke the NFL’s all-time receiving record for a rookie at the position, held by Mike Ditka.
Pitts finished with 1,026 yards on 68 receptions en route to a Pro Bowl but hasn’t sniffed that level of success since then. Poor quarterback play is certainly a factor in those shortcomings, but injuries also played a part.
Pitts tore his MCL during the 2022 season, and it clearly hampered his production in 2023. The Falcons believe he’s coming back in 2024 healthy, and with Kirk Cousins in the fold, expectations are sky-high once again.
Raheem Morris knows the kind of player Pitts can be when healthy…
Kirk Cousins should really benefit Pitts, but so should his new offensive coordinator.
Zac Robinson followed Raheem Morris from Atlanta to Los Angeles, and he’s heralded as the next great offensive mind, evident in all of the teams vying for his services this past offseason.
The Falcons should have a much more explosive and consistent offense, and nobody is set to benefit more than Kyle Pitts.
More must-reads: