Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has been adamant that Atlanta is not undergoing a rebuild, which is part of why the club selected tight end Kyle Pitts at No. 4 overall instead of quarterback.
So when Pitts was available after the first three picks, there was no question what Atlanta would do.
“No way we weren’t drafting Kyle Pitts right there on the clock,” General Manager Terry Fontenot said during an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. “Look, I talked to a lot of former General Managers just in general and just people I respect in the business, coaches. And everyone else [would have] made that same pick.
“We did have an open line and we listened to teams, and you have to listen and see if there’s going to be compensation that knocks your socks off. So we listened and we didn’t have any offers that really moved the meter in that way. So we were really excited about selecting that player.”
Pitts should immediately upgrade a receiving corps that — at least for now — includes stars Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. But if the Falcons end up with an offer for Jones they can’t refuse, then Pitts’ presence should soften the blow of losing their top pass catcher.