The Falcons didn’t just hand Kyle Pitts a three-year, $54 million extension. They built in a structure that gives them room to breathe, and maybe even a clean escape hatch.
That’s the real detail buried in the full terms: Atlanta has an out after two years, before the 2028 season. For a deal with a 25-year-old former first-round pick, that’s a pretty sharp piece of business from new general manager Ian Cunningham, who spent time learning under Howie Roseman with the Eagles before taking over in Atlanta.
Roseman’s influence shows up where it usually does - in the void years. Pitts’ contract comes with four of them, but the bigger story is how the money is pushed down the road. His cap hits are set to stay manageable through 2028, with Pitts due to make $4.62 million in 2026, $8.21 million in 2027, and $13.01 million in 2028.
That setup gives the Falcons flexibility now and leaves the hard decisions for later. Instead of committing to the $15.045 million he would have made on the franchise tag or the $18 million average annual value, Atlanta bought itself time while keeping the contract backloaded.
The risk, of course, is what happens if the team waits too long. Pitts is expected to make most of his money through a prorated option bonus, which is why his cap number jumps to $27.39 million in the first void year in 2029. The contract also includes a $5.97 prorated bonus option from 2029-2031, before that figure drops to $2.672 million in 2032.
That leaves the Falcons with a clear decision point. If they want to keep Pitts beyond 2028, they can work out an extension before the out kicks in. If they let him walk in free agency in 2029, the deal voids and all of the prorated option and signing bonus money accelerates at once - exactly the kind of mess this front office wants to avoid.
If Pitts is extended again before then, that bonus money can be rolled into a new contract, and Atlanta can keep evaluating him under Kevin Stefanski. A release would save very little cap space, but it would at least keep the bonus situation from turning into a bigger headache.
For now, the Falcons have a contract that protects them in the short term and keeps the door open later. How smart it looks will depend on what happens over the next two years.
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Atlanta already has four receivers viewed as roster locks, which leaves a small opening for the rest of the group to fight over. Jones is in that mix with Dylan Drummond, Chris Blair, Vinny Anthony and Keelan Marion, and every rep in camp and the preseason will matter as he tries to show he belongs in the conversation for one of the final receiver spots. [Read more 🡒]
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One name to keep close tabs on is rookie Keelan Marion, who arrives with a productive college rsum across multiple schools and a path to meaningful snaps if he can separate himself in camp. Atlanta is clearly hoping an undrafted player can emerge and help fill out a thin wideout group, and Marion fits the profile of someone who could make the competition interesting once the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Ryans Falcons Power Shift Changes Everything Before Camp
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There is also a different kind of energy around the franchise now, with Matt Ryans presence in football operations adding another layer to the decision-making process. Atlanta has spent the offseason trying to sharpen both its present and future, from cap management to identifying the next wave of contributors, and the early buzz around Brandon Dorlus and Bijan Robinson only adds to that sense of momentum. The real test starts once the pads come on, but the shape of this team is already becoming clearer. [Read more 🡒]