Players under contract for 2026:
2026 Free agents:
Kyle Pitts Sr.
Feleipe Franks
Teagan Quitoriano
Biggest question facing the position group in 2026:
Will the Falcons use their franchise tag on Pitts?
The former first-round draft pick played on his fifth-year option for the 2025 season. Pitts is bound for free agency for the first time in 2026 unless the Falcons choose to use their franchise tag on him or bring him back to Atlanta with a new contract.
Pitts was initially asked about his future on Dec. 17 – after he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week because he posted 166 yards and three touchdowns in the Falcons’ win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“Personally, I don’t think about the money, I don’t think about contracts,” he said. “I think about just being here in the moment with my teammates and with my brothers. I get to see these guys every day, and it’s just fun being here with them. Whatever happens in the future happens.”
A week later, he was asked again – after another Falcons’ victory where he totaled 57 yards and a touchdown to help beat the Arizona Cardinals.
“That’s an agent question,” Pitts said. “I won’t even call him and even ask about that. That’d be something when the time is and he calls me on it, then we’ll talk. But that’s not something I’m worried about or will be reaching out to be inquiring about.”
The time is approaching, though, especially now that the Falcons’ season is over.
The NFL’s deadline for clubs to designate franchise players is March 3. According to Over the Cap, the franchise tag for a tight end is projected to be around $15.8 million for 2026.
The new league year – and therefore, free agency – then begins March 11.