The Atlanta Falcons will be relying heavily on fourth-year tight end Kyle Pitts as the team tries to get its offense back on the map.
Having new Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins challenging him on the practice field should be a huge boost for the talented tight end’s production and growth.
While talking with reporters this week, Cousins outlined how he’s trying to push Pitts to be the best he can be while they’re developing chemistry with each other in training camp.
Cousins praised Pitts’ running ability and his length, which he said is “really, really friendly” for a quarterback. However, the quarterback said he is pushing Pitts to better hone in those skillsets in reps.
“What I’m encouraging him with is to use that length as much as he can,” Cousins said of Pitts. “Any time he lets the ball into his body, I tell him that wasn’t good enough. You should never let it come into your body. You’re too good to let it come into your body. So I challenge him with that.
“I challenge him; I don’t feel like he’s running as fast as he possibly can, I say that wasn’t good enough. It was fast enough for a lot of tight ends, but for you, [it’s] got to be faster.”
Yeah, Kirk Cousins might be the best thing to ever happen to Kyle Pitts
(via @AtlantaFalcons) pic.twitter.com/5frGwgQXNO
— kenny g. (@Gritz_Blitz) August 7, 2024
To Cousins, Pitts’ speed and him using his hands to reach out for the ball should help him find the production the team is looking for.
For the Falcons, their fans and fantasy managers, having Pitts reaching his sky-high potential with Cousins throwing him the ball would be a dream come true.
His 2021 rookie season flashed what he’s capable of, and it sure sounds like Cousins won’t let him settle for where he is now.
