5 teams that should not have passed on Justin Fields in 2021
By Peter Jurich
The Atlanta Falcons (Original Pick: Kyle Pitts #4)
After a run of quarterbacks to open the first three picks of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons elected to go “best player available” with the fourth overall pick, selecting Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. Coming out of college, Pitts was viewed as maybe the most impressive weapon in a draft that included three elite SEC receivers who would all wind up as top 10 picks.
Unfortunately, the player has yet to live up to the hype, but it’s not entirely on his shoulders. With an aging Matt Ryan on their roster, the Falcons really had no long-term plan on who would be throwing to a unicorn tight end like Pitts, and his production throughout his young career is reflective of the Falcons’ inadequacy at the quarterback position.
In 27 games with either Ryan or Marcus Mariota at quarterback, Pitts has accumulated just under 1400 yards with only three touchdowns. Pitts certainly has the intangibles to become an elite NFL tight end, but the position is not necessarily a premium need in the NFL and is certainly not more important than a franchise quarterback.
Despite being the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history, the Falcons probably reached on the former Gator and should have opted to grab a franchise quarterback, who likely would’ve been Justin Fields.
With an offense that has few weapons across the board and a defense that has a handful of playmakers, Fields would’ve kickstarted a full rebuild in Atlanta. Additionally, Fields, a native of Kennesaw, Georgia, not only grew up a Falcons fan but a huge fan of former number one overall pick Michael Vick. With a play style that rivals only Vick and former MVP Lamar Jackson, Fields would have been the blue-chip quarterback that the Falcons could build around.