Falcons Land All-Pro Edge Rusher Instead of TE Kyle Pitts in 2021 NFL Re-Draft

If the Atlanta Falcons had a chance to do the 2021 NFL Draft again, Bleacher Report's Matt Holder argued the team would not draft tight end Kyle Pitts.

If it feels like Bleacher Report has been pretty tough on Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts this week, it's because the outlet has.

Bleacher Report's Matt Holder was the latest to be critical of Pitts. In his 2021 NFL Re-Draft on Thursday, Holder called the tight end the team's worst pick of the past five years. Then, Holder argued, if given the chance at a re-do, the Falcons would draft edge rusher Micah Parsons instead of Pitts.

"What’s frustrating about Pitts’ selection for the Falcons is that there were several strong options on the board like Ja’Marr Chase, Penei Sewell and Patrick Surtain II, to name a few," wrote Holder.

"But the reason Parsons would be the best selection for Atlanta is that the defense has been desperately looking for some pass-rushing help over the last few years. The Penn State product’s 52.5 sacks over the last four seasons would have greatly helped the unit as a whole."

Holder also argued Pitts has been "frustrating" because he posted more than 1,000 yards as a rookie and hasn't come close to that plateau since then.

It's hard to argue with some of Holder's points. Unfortunately for the Falcons, just about any player other than Pitts would have probably worked out better for Atlanta.

These are the players who were drafted after Pitts from No. 5-12 in 2021:

No. 5: Ja'Marr Chase, WR
No. 6: Jaylen Waddle, WR
No. 7: Penei Sewell, OL
No. 8: Jaycee Horn, CB
No. 9: Patrick Surtain II, CB
No. 10: DeVonta Smith, WR
No. 11: Justin Fields, QB
No. 12: Micah Parson, LB

Of those eight players, the only one who isn't a star is Justin Fields. That's rather ironic, because at the time, the discussion in Atlanta was Pitts versus Fields.

I agree with Holder. If given another shot at the 2021 NFL Draft, the Falcons should select edge rusher Micah Parsons. But I'm also going to defend Pitts' honor a little bit.

The tight end isn't the worst draft pick the Falcons have made in the past five years. The organization has missed on Day 2 defensive linemen over and over again. That's really why passing on Parsons was such a blunder. Atlanta has been unable to develop any resemblance of a respectable pass rush to help us forget Parsons could have been a Falcon.

Who is the worst Falcons draft pick of the past five years if not Pitts? Marlon Davidson (technically five years and two months ago), Jalen Mayfield, Aarnold Ebiketie, Ruke Orhorhoro? Take your pick.

Pitts definitely has his faults. But none of those guys have been as good of NFL players as the tight end.

Holder calling Pitts the team's worst draft pick of the past five years one day after Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski proposed a hypothetical trade where the Falcons would cut ties with Pitts in favor of defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.