Most of the trade conversation surrounding the Patriots this offseason centered around one player and one player only: wide receiver A.J. Brown. Now that they have acquired him, there are other players they can focus on, especially at positions that still need upgrading ahead of the 2026 season.
In recent weeks, there has been a lot of talk about the team making a move for a pass rusher, whether in free agency or an unexpected trade. There have also been proposals for tight ends, since Julian Hill suffered a season-ending injury during OTAs, and now the tight end roster will run through just Hunter Henry and rookie Eli Raridon.
On the list of best trade targets was inevitably Kyle Pitts, a 2021 first-round pick by the Falcons who has had an up-and-down career over the last five years.
For much of the past year, he was heavily linked to a potential trade, particularly since his rookie contract was set to expire. But after all that speculation, the Falcons finally decided they didn't want to see the playmaker go and reached an agreement on a three-year, $54 million extension.
It's a big slap in the face to the Patriots, who very easily could have seriously inquired about getting a deal done for the 25-year-old. But now they'll have to look elsewhere, again, for a position they need to address before Week 1.
The Patriots miss out on another top trade target who could have been an integral part of their offense for a long time
When it was announced that the Patriots had signed Hill in free agency, there wasn't much optimism that he was going to be the tight end the offense needed to help Henry after the team chose not to re-sign Austin Hooper.
That feeling remained the same even after they drafted Raridon, who is coming off a few injuries, which don't offer much hope that he will make a serious impact during his rookie season.
That prompted a lot of discussion about who the Patriots could trade for, with Pitts near the top of the list. Because it looked like he might be a free agent next offseason, he was a prime trade candidate for tight-end-needy teams, so New England had every reason to get on the phone and make an offer.
But apparently, they don't view the weak depth at tight end as an urgent matter to address, and instead, they now see Pitts receive a big extension that keeps him tied to Atlanta for three more years.
Now they'll have to look elsewhere for tight end help, whether that's a free agent, like Pharaoh Brown, Will Dissly, or Jonnu Smith, or attempt to make a trade for a more desirable player like Raiders' Michael Mayer.
There's even a chance that their next tight end could be released during roster cuts later this summer, with most Patriots fans eyeing someone like Colby Parkinson.
No matter what, seeing Pitts officially taken off the market should kick the Patriots into full gear and force them to get another tight end in the door sooner rather than later, even if that means giving up a bit more in a trade to get it done.
Add us as a preferred source on Google