The NFL's tight end market took a turn for the worse from a buyer's perspective when word broke, via reporter Jordan Schultz, that the Atlanta Falcons had decided to retain Kyle Pitts after all. Instead of allowing him to hit free agency, Pitts will receive the franchise tag, giving Atlanta the right to match any offer sheet from another team and likely giving them control over his production for another season.
While Pitts won't cash in on the open market, the franchise tag at least offers the player a serious raise. This year, tight ends on the tag will command over $16 million for the 2026 season. Of course, Pitts was already well compensated for someone at his position, thanks to his status as the highest-drafted tight end in league history at No. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The move to retain Pitts made the most sense for a team with a first-year head coach with a strong offensive emphasis like Kevin Stefanski. There's no doubt that the allure of the job for the former Cleveland Browns head coach was the chance to work with players like Pitts, running back Bijan Robinson, and receiver Drake London, among others. Pitts had 88 catches for 928 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns last season.
If the Chiefs have to replace Travis Kelce this offseason, their best option was just taken off the table.
While the report from Schultz is not surprising, it still comes as a disappointment to any franchise potentially faced with the hopes of bolstering an offense via a positional upgrade at tight end. That list of teams could include the Kansas City Chiefs, depending on what Travis Kelce decides to do for the 2026 season.
Kelce is taking some time following his 13th season to make up his mind about whether or not to call it a career. He's exhibited signs of potentially wanting to return for another year, but it's also a significant decision after a season in which the Chiefs fell apart for the first time in his career. K.C. won just six games a year ago, and they face a long offseason with numerous roster concerns to address while hoping Patrick Mahomes can heal quickly from a torn ACL and LCL.
If Kelce comes back for another year, the Chiefs are set at the position and will amend their search to second-level players, depending on what they do with Noah Gray's cap hit. However, if Kelce hangs up his cleats, the Chiefs have a very real problem with the news that Pitts won't be available. That means the best possible alternative is now off the market, leaving the team with less-than-desirable options to replace Kelce.
Kenyon Sadiq is the draft's best tight end, but the Chiefs pick too early to take him in the top 10, especially given other needs on the roster. It's possible to address the need in lower rounds, but the prospects come with question marks in a role that takes considerable time to learn and master at the NFL level.
As for free agency, another veteran like David Njoku of the Cleveland Browns makes the most sense. If the Philadelphia Eagles decide against bringing back Dallas Goedert, that could also be an option. Isaiah Likely of the Baltimore Ravens could be in play or could also be tagged, but he's not exactly taken advantage of being a top option when Mark Andrews has been sidelined.
There's no replacing a living legend like Kelce, but it's also going to be hard for the Chiefs to even come close to doing so if he announces his retirement. Pitts was the best option, despite always being a long shot, and now that's off the table. A franchise that was already vocal about wanting its offensive leader back in 2026 has even greater reason to hope for his return.