Kyle Pitts instead of Michael Pittman?
 

Kyle Pitts is hitting the free agent market, and had a really good year last year, almost meeting his rookie stats, with over 900 yards on 88 receptions, which was significantly more than what Pittman managed to produce this year. I know one is a receiver, and the other a TE, but i am not so sure that their roles are really that significantly different. Pitts mainly plays off the line of scrimmage, and Pittman has been a big bodied WR, who mainly plays the middle of the field.

The top 5 TE's are earning between $15-19m a year, which is a lot less than what Pittman is projected to earn going forward.

If we had a receiving corps of Pierce, Downs, Pitts and Warren with Dulin, Gould, maybe Coleman Owen a mid round receiver, or mid level free agent pickup, i would be quite content that this would be something that Steichen could make work really well, for a lot less cap costs.

I like the concept...if Pitts is a willing and capable blocker.

I like Pittman, always have. He is the type of receiver that keeps the chains moving. But, $29,000,000 cap hit? Unless he can be renegotiated to a way more cap friendly contract, he'll have to be released. I'm not sure ANY wide receiver is worth that kind of cap hit.

Coming from someone from Atlanta, if Pitts is the same Pitts he's been every other year, he is not going to be loved here.

Maybe him and Warren remind everyone of Gronkowski & Hernandez, but I doubt it.

So is Pittman, it may be what he does best. He knows 29 million is too much for him, I bet he renegotiates a long term extension that is favorable to the cap this year. Pittman isn't the problem. Keep him if possible.

I like this idea. Trade Pittman for what you can and sign Pitts for less overall. Steichen likes 12 personnel anyway, why not give him two of the best TEs in the league, both of whom are matchup problems? If you get a day 2 pick and $10 million or so more in cap room, that's a win from a cap management perspective.

I am not really bothered about Pitts being able to block, as may normally be required from a traditional TE, i am utilising him in a similar way to Pittman.

I am also not overly bothered about getting draft compensation for Pittman, i wouldn't expect anything more than a 5th or 6th at the tops anyway. Really trying to find a cheaper way of getting top quality production. Paying top dollar on pass catching TE's is a cheaper way than paying an average WR to give similar output.

I agree. If he agrees to a renegotiation, then keep him. If he doesn't, you're not going to find a single team willing to trade for that cap hit. So, it's either renegotiate or he gets released, which makes him a free agent. Other teams can then sign him without paying that enormous cap hit.

It's very intriguing on paper. As much as I've always loved Pittman, Warren + Pitts would kind of be a unicorn in the NFL. I have trouble thinking of many imposing duos over the years off the top of my head.

You'd be changing out a big body, lunch pail WR for a bigger, faster, younger match-up problem. I'd love to see Steichen utilize those two.

If he were to command #1 TE money, that would still be a net cap gain.

I wonder, regarding his up and downs... is he an attitude/work ethic problem? I know QB hasn't been too stable and he had the MCL.