Buccaneers watch top free agent option fly out the window thanks to rival’s key decision
The Bucs are out of the Kyle Pitts sweepstakes.
We are less than two weeks away from the start of the legal tampering period ahead of NFL free agency, yet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just watched one of the top free agent options get removed from the board.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Atlanta Falcons are planning to slap tight end Kyle Pitts with the franchise tag, essentially wiping out any chance of obtaining him. If/when the Falcons do tag Pitts, it’ll likely be the non-exclusive tag, which does allow him to negotiate with other teams. Per Over The Cap, the franchise tag for tight ends is projected to cost $16.319 million in 2026.
However, the Falcons get right of first refusal by having the opportunity to match any team’s offer. Atlanta is then rewarded two first-round picks if it declines to match said offer.
The catch with that is there is no one out there willing to both pay Pitts top money and spend two first-round picks on him. That’s a serious conversation for when a guy like Lamar Jackson is tagged, but not Pitts.
Therefore, it’s easy to see why the Bucs have no shot at acquiring Pitts’ services for their new offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson.
Pitts and Robinson would’ve made sense in Tampa Bay
The duo found tremendous success together in 2025 and the Buccaneers have their own starting tight end heading toward the market in Cade Otton. If Otton and the Bucs were to split, Pitts would’ve made total sense considering his history with Robinson and the fact the Bucs want more explosiveness out of the tight end position.
He would’ve added a whole new dynamic to the Buccaneers’ passing attack and he could’ve also helped his new teammates speed up the learning aspects of Robinson’s offense. While it won’t be a straight-up crossover from Atlanta, Robinson did mention in his season-opening press conference that there will be some elements brought over from the last couple of years.
Regardless, this isn’t a surprising development, by any means. It is, however, a name to cross off the Bucs’ wishlist, but the good news is there are plenty more viable options as long as they aren’t swooped up first, either.
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