Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders started their season on the right foot Sunday, taking down the division-rival New York Giants. The second-year quarterback went 19-for-30 through the air, throwing for 233 yards and a touchdown. After a solid opening performance, could he be getting a new offensive weapon soon?
Could the Commanders Trade for Tight End Kyle Pitts?
In a recent article, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox theorized that the Commanders could add another option to Daniels’s arsenal by targeting Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.
“While Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts flashed elite upside with a 1,026-yard rookie season, he’s failed to play up to that level since,” Knox wrote, listing the Commanders and New York Jets as potential suitors.
Knox suggested a projected trade value for Pitts would be a third-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft.
The potential need at the position is clear for Washington. Current tight end Zach Ertz had three grabs for 26 yards and Daniels’s lone touchdown pass on Sunday, but he turns 35 years old later this season. Additionally, Ertz is only under contract through this campaign, meaning Dan Quinn’s team will likely need to find a successor in the coming years. Pitts remains a bit of a lottery ticket, but as Knox noted, he has shown considerable promise.
Throughout his career, Pitts has dealt with inconsistent quarterback play, catching passes from several different signal-callers during his first four seasons as a pro. Over the past two seasons combined, Pitts has tallied 100 catches for 1,269 yards and seven touchdowns. While he hasn’t fully transformed into the game-breaking threat the Falcons hoped for when they selected him No. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, he has still put up worthwhile numbers for his position.
In fact, since the start of the 2023 season, Pitts has the ninth-most receiving yards of any tight end in the league, according to StatMuse. In Atlanta’s season-opening loss to Tampa Bay, he reeled in seven passes for 59 yards, showing he can still be a steady outlet for a young passer.
However, acquiring him might be more difficult now. Knox explained that Pitts’s developing chemistry with second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. could make Atlanta hesitant to trade him.
“Though the Falcons lost their opener against the rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it feels like Pitts could be more difficult to acquire now than he might have been a few weeks ago,” Knox said. “The 24-year-old seems to have developed a strong chemistry with second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. … Atlanta won’t be eager to move one of Penix’s favorite pass-catchers while it still has playoff hopes–at least, not for what might be considered a bargain price.”
Pitts entered this season with 203 career receptions for 2,710 yards and 10 touchdowns. If Washington can manage to get its hands on him, the move would be yet another example of the franchise prioritizing Daniels’s development early in his career.
