By trading Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans, the Atlanta Falcons may have created two potentially elite pass-catching duos. Tennessee gets to pair Jones with young speedster AJ Brown, while in Atlanta, Calvin Ridley becomes the undisputed No. 1 receiver — with the team likely using some combination of Russell Gage and Kyle Pitts as the secondary option.
Gage is a bit undersized but has been making consistent progress over the past three years. Pitts, while technically listed at tight end, has the size and speed to be a great outside threat if needed. The rookie playmaker was considered by most draft analysts to be the best non-quarterback prospect in a class loaded at the wide receiver position.
But can Pitts actually live up to the massive hype he’s received this offseason? Well, that depends on who you ask. According to Steven Treash of Pro Football Focus, the combination of Pitts and Ridley is dangerous enough on paper to warrant a spot on PFF’s top 10 pass-catching duos.
Is it a bit premature to put the No. 4 overall pick on a top-10 list? Perhaps, but Pitts was talented enough for the Falcons to pass on multiple franchise QB prospects, including Georgia-native Justin Fields. Here’s an excerpt of what Treash had to say about Atlanta’s new one-two punch.
“Had the Falcons not traded away Julio Jones, they would have placed a duo far higher on this list. Still, they earn a spot inside the top 10 with refined route-runner Calvin Ridley and rookie unicorn Kyle Pitts. Ridley finally pieced it all together and showcased his talent on a consistent basis in 2020. His production skyrocketed across the board: From 2019 to 2020, he improved his PFF grade by 10 points to 84.9 and took his yards per route run total from 1.69 to 2.44 (seventh-best). He hauled in the third-most receptions against single coverage in which he had at least a couple of steps of separation (19) and led the league in total 15-plus-yard receptions (40).
And yes, Pitts has obviously not played a down in the NFL, but his tools and background make it hard to believe he won’t live up to his lofty expectations. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound tight end has a massive catch radius and the movement skills of a wide receiver. Pitts shattered the PFF College record for best single-season receiving grade by a tight end in his age-20 season last year (96.1).”
Pitts’ upside is easy to see, it just depends on how the team chooses to use him on offense. A good first year may not mean 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns, but if he’s a contributor that helps the team get back to the playoffs, it’ll be hard to argue with the selection.
As for Jones and Brown, the Titans’ new duo comes in at second place on PFF’s top 10 pass-catcher rankings.
