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Kyle Pitts was still the right pick for Atlanta after trading Julio Jones

By Christopher Thomas

May 25, 2021; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) catches a pass during Falcons OTA at the Falcons Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
May 25, 2021; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) catches a pass during Falcons OTA at the Falcons Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Justin Fields, Atlanta Falcons
Ohio State Quarterback Justin Fields  (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

They didn’t love the Quarterbacks available at #4

The rumor going into the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft was that Atlanta Falcons were going to either take tight end Kyle Pitts or a quarterback with the fourth overall pick. Taking a tight end with the fourth overall pick is controversial enough but many were enraged at the idea they would take one over a potential franchise quarterback when the Falcons knew they were going to begin a rebuild.

Those questioning the Kyle Pitts selection need to consider this possibility. What if the Atlanta Falcons didn’t value Justin Fields or Mac Jones high enough to be comfortable making one of them their franchise quarterback of the future. Going into the 2021 NFL Draft it could be argued that no two prospects were doubted more than both Fields and Jones.

The doubt around Fields was the reason why it was almost impossible to pinpoint a location for him in mock drafts and numerous scouts had a second-round grade on Jones. So what if new Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and new head coach Arthur Smith didn’t like either quarterback enough to tie their careers with the team to their success. Just because a team is bringing in a new regime and appears to be starting a rebuild doesn’t mean they need to begin a rebuild. They may want to wait till next year to start scouting for the heir to Matt Ryan.

A great example of one of the better-run organizations, who have Super Bowl aspirations, that waited a year into their regime change to take their franchise quarterback is the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo hired general manager Brandon Beane head coach Sean McDermott in 2017. Rather than take a quarterback right away in the 2017 NFL Draft they traded down from their first-round selection and took Pro Bowl cornerback Tre’Davious White in the first round that year. Then Buffalo used the draft capital acquired in that deal to take 2020-21 MVP runner-up Josh Allen and Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.

By not rushing a quarterback selection when the current Bills regime first came to the team they were able to build a foundation for their team going forward.

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