Breaking news:Falcons soar in new looks offense
Atlanta Falcons’ tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson are expected to play significant roles in the team’s offense this season. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson plans to utilize Pitts’ pass-catching skills in a hybrid role. Pitts, who was the Falcons’ No. 4 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, is now locked in with the team through the 2025 season after the Falcons picked up his fifth-year option last month ¹ ² ³.
Pitts is looking forward to a fresh start with the new offense and is feeling healthy and ready to go after a season-ending knee injury as a sophomore and playing the entire 2023 season without fully recovering. He is excited about his partnership with some of the guys that the team brought in, including the new quarterback Kirk Cousins ² ³.
Robinson, who was used sparingly in his rookie campaign, is expected to see a significant increase in workload and will be used more as a runner and less as a receiver. He is following in the footsteps of Pitts and Drake London, who were also highly touted rookies but have now thrived in the league. Coach Arthur Smith believes that Pitts and London can help Robinson adjust to the NFL and meet the high expectations that come with being a top rookie ¹ ⁴.
The Falcons are looking to turn things around this season, and the additions of Cousins and a new coaching staff are expected to make a big impact. The team has a lot of new key pieces in place on the offensive side of the ball, including head coach Raheem Morris and coordinator Zac Robinson. The hope is that Cousins will return consistency to the quarterback position for the first time since Pitts was drafted ² ³.
Pitts had a Pro Bowl season in 2021 with 68 receptions for 1,026 yards and a touchdown. He played in all 17 games, starting 15. His second season was marked by a season-ending PCL/MCL injury in the Falcons’ Week 11 win over the Chicago Bears. He returned to action in 2023, starting 15 of his 17 game appearances. Whether or not he was at full health was questioned but dismissed throughout the season ³.
Robinson has yet to take the field with London and Pitts, but it doesn’t really matter – he’s seen what they’ve done and knows he wants to follow suit. There’s already a high degree of mutual respect, and he’s committed to embracing the understudy role this summer. He believes it’s pretty cool because Drake and Kyle are great players for the team and the NFL ⁴.
They do things the right way at their positions, so hopefully, he can learn from them in practices and even off the field, see how they’re successful in their games so he can become as successful in mine. There’s another element at play within Atlanta’s young stars; not a “what,” but a “who” – running back Tyler Allgeier, fresh off breaking the franchise record for rookie rushing yards with 1,035 ⁴.
