Falcons planning to use Kyle Pitts as more than just TE

The Atlanta Falcons hired first-year offensive coordinator Zac Robinson for a shift in approach.

Some of the changes Robinson is implementing involve maximizing the skill set of tight end Kyle Pitts, who the Falcons will use at more than one position next season, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“[Pitts is] learning basically two different positions,” Robinson said . “There's some tight end and there's some receiver. So, he's got a lot on his plate. He's handled it really well. I'm just excited to see him continue to get more comfortable in the system.”

Lining up out wide isn’t foreign to Pitts, who’s been used as a wideout on 30 percent of his 1,284 career snaps, per Pro Football Focus .

“We’ll move him around the formation,” Robinson said. “We’ll use him as blocker. We’ll use him as a receiver. We’ll use him all across the board.”

Using the 6-foot-6, 245-pound Pitts outside of his traditional TE role would allow the Falcons to take advantage of his 4.4 speed and create matchup problems against smaller, slower cornerbacks.

“The biggest thing with Kyle is that your best players have the most to give,” tight ends coach Kevin Koger said. “He has a lot to give. He can handle it.”

Atlanta could also exploit some matchups with Pitts out wide and both Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore working from the slot. Mooney was used in the slot 62.5 percent of the time during his last two seasons with the Chicago Bears while 67.2 percent of Moore’s NFL snaps have also come from the slot.

With a proven gunslinger in Kirk Cousins under center and Pitts getting the ball more regularly, the Falcons’ passing game could rise among the league’s best.