Report: Steelers Called Falcons About Trading Kyle Pitts

Arthur Smith made Kyle Pitts the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history, and Smith -- or at least his current employer -- expressed interest in making Pitts the newest weapon for Aaron Rodgers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers -- who are entering their second season with Smith as their offensive coordinator -- reached out to the Atlanta Falcons about trading for Pitts, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport on Good Morning Football.

"They’ve had their eyes on tight ends, too," Rapaport said Friday about the Steelers, who signed Rodgers to a one-year contract Thursday. "Kyle Pitts, there was a phone call there. The Steelers are in the market for at least one more playmaker."

Pitts, 24, has not been on the field during the Falcons' first two open OTA sessions due to a strained muscle in his foot. Pitts, who's entering the final season of his rookie contract, has been the recent focal point of trade speculation -- teams like the Steelers are calling, and the Falcons are listening.

But Atlanta isn't expected to part ways with the fifth-year tight end.

"I’m just not sure I see a match right now," Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer wrote Wednesday. "This seems to me like the sort of story that only gains steam in June. ... At this point, the discussion probably isn’t worth the oxygen people are giving it."

ESPN insider Adam Schefter, who spoke Tuesday onThe Adam Schefter Podcast, said he doesn't think the Falcons are looking to trade Pitts, though if a team meets a steep price -- Schefter speculated a third-round draft pick -- Atlanta could be enticed.

Still, Schefter doesn't anticipate any team offering the Falcons enough to move Pitts.

"There aren't any trades close on the horizon," Schefter said. "The Falcons, I think, will continue taking calls, but it's going to be a tough deal to pull off."

Last offseason, Smith, who the Falcons fired after the 2023 season, brought several former Atlanta players with him to Pittsburgh, including running back Cordarrelle Patterson, tight end MyCole Pruitt and receivers Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller.

The Steelers have reportedly held trade conservations with the Miami Dolphins centered around tight end Jonnu Smith, who played for the Falcons in 2023. Atlanta had three tight ends catch at least three passes in Arthur Smith's final year as head coach: Pitts, Jonnu Smith and Pruitt.

Pittsburgh no longer has Pruitt, but Arthur Smith appears interested in adding another of his former tight ends to Rodgers's weaponry. Pitts, however, doesn't seem the most likely candidate.