There's no question the New York Giants made significant steps toward patching some of their biggest roster holes during the 2025 offseason. This roster suddenly has a completely different quarterback room, and the defense is certain to get a boost with the third overall pick, Abdul Carter. However, was position that could still use an upgrade is tight end.
The Giants attempted to get by with a lackluster combination of Theo Johnson, Daniel Bellinger, and Chris Manhertz last season, but with no luck. Johnson, who was credited with starting 11 of 12 games played, recorded just 29 receptions on 43 targets while giving his quarterback a passer rating of 88.4 when targeted.
Meanwhile, Bellinger and Manhertz combined for a mere 17 receptions despite both players appearing in all 17 games. The Giants need another offensive weapon, and the perfect trade option could be on the market.
That's where Kyle Pitts enters the conversation.
The Atlanta Falcons' tight end has been at the center of trade discussions this offseason, and teams have made calls to gauge his availability. Recently, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report listed Pitts as his fifth-best player on his NFL trade block big board... and it's not hard to see why.
The New York Giants should attempt to trade for Atlanta Falcons TE Kyle Pitts
The New York Giants' top two tight ends, Johnson and Bellinger, earned overall PFF grades of 53.6 and 57.2. respectively. Both players graded outside of the top 50 tight ends in the league in 2024 (which further speaks to the need to improve the position).
While Kyle Pitts has struggled with drops at times (17 in his first four seasons), He's showcased elite upside as a receiver, both when playing from the slot and from the outside. As a rookie in 2021, Pitts earned Pro Bowl honors after an impressive 1,000-yard season in which he recorded an 80.3 overall grade (5th in the NFL).
Since then, Pitts has been doing more work as an inline tight end, but being asked to block isn't his strong suit. The NY Giants can buy into a trade for Pitts, while the price would likely be just a late Day 2 pick.
Let's face it, the Giants have just one legitimate threat in the passing game: Malik Nabers. Though New York handed Darius Slayton a three-year, $36 million contract extension during the 2025 offseason, Slayton put up just 39 receptions for 573 yards and two touchdowns last season and has never had more than 770 yards in a single season since entering the league in 2019.
Pitts, on the other hand, has the capabilities to cement himself as the No. 2 pass catcher on the Giants' offense and alleviate some pressure from Nabers. The best part is that Pitts is still just 24 years old, and he could prove to be a building block for the future around first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The trickiest part about all of this is the Giants' less-than-ideal salary cap situation. Joe Schoen and the front office don't have much breathing room to work with, and Pitts is going to want a contract extension if he's traded. However, the team could always make this work by pushing money on his new deal into the future and taking smaller cap hits up front.
The NY Giants may not be able to compete for a Super Bowl this year, but that shouldn't stop them from adding a talented pass-catcher like Kyle Pitts, who could be around for the long haul.