The Atlanta Falcons enter the 2025 season looking to turn potential into results. Under head coach Raheem Morris, now in his second season, and led by second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the team believes it has the foundation to compete in the NFC South, but for a few key players, 2025 could be the final opportunity to deliver on lofty expectations.
Kyle Pitts, Troy Anderson, and Zach Harrison were all selected with hopes of becoming foundational pieces, but after a mix of injuries, inconsistency, and underwhelming development, they now find themselves on the hot seat. Here’s why this season is make-or-break for each of them.
1. Kyle Pitts, TE
Drafted: 1st Round, No. 4 overall (2021)
2024 Stats: 47 receptions, 602 yards, 4 touchdowns
This one is a no-brainer. When the Falcons selected Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick in 2021, they believed they were drafting the next transcendent tight end. His rookie year backed that up: over 1,000 receiving yards and a Pro Bowl selection. However, since then, Pitts hasn’t met expectations.
His 2022 and 2023 seasons were hampered by injuries and inconsistent quarterback play. In 2024, Pitts showed flashes of his old self — totaling 419 yards and 3 touchdowns over the first eight games — but faded down the stretch, managing just 183 yards and one touchdown the final nine games.
Now healthy and entering the final year of his rookie deal, Pitts is under pressure to prove he’s still an elite weapon — especially in an offense that has added depth and is fully committed to Michael Penix Jr. as its starting quarterback.
”You can make a highlight tape and see all the good things that he’s done,“ said GM Terry Fontenot, “but this is the time to put it all together.”
With a stronger offensive line and weapons like Bijan Robinson and Drake London around him, Pitts has no excuses. If he can’t become a consistent red-zone target and rack up at least 750-900 yards, the Falcons may let him walk in free agency next offseason.
2. Troy Anderson, LB
Drafted: 2nd round. No. 58 overall (2022)
Career Stats: 89 tackles, 1 interception, 1 sack in 21 games.
Troy Anderson entered the NFL as a dynamic linebacker with elite athleticism and talent. A former quarterback and running back at Montana State, Anderson was a second-round pick, expected to grow into a defensive leader. Since then, injuries have consistently derailed this vision.
After a solid rookie season in 2022 where he notched 69 tackles and flashed playmaking potential, Anderson suffered a torn pectoral muscle early in 2023 and landed on injury reserve. In 2024, he appeared in just eight games and never seemed fully healthy — battling lingering knee and shoulder issues throughout the year.
Anderson is on thin ice and 2025 may be his last chance to prove he can be a starting-caliber linebacker in Atlanta’s defense.
With Raheem Morris emphasizing speed and positional flexibility, Anderson still fits the prototype, but if he can’t stay healthy or produce consistently — especially with younger competition on the depth chart, he may not be in the team’s plans past this season.
3. Zach Harrison, DE
Drafted: 3rd round, No 75 overall (2023)
2024 stats: 32 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 safety
The Falcons took a flier on Zach Harrison in the third round of the 2023 draft, betting on his size, length, and upside after an up-and-down career at Ohio State. Two years into his pro career, the production just hasn’t materialized.
Harrison has appeared in 33 games over two seasons but totaled only 4.0 sacks and has rarely made a consistent impact as a pass-rusher. While he showed promise in spurts — recording a safety last season and performing well in limited run defense snaps — he’s yet to lock down a true rotational or starting role.
The Draft Network recently named Harrison one of the Falcons top “make-or-break” candidates for 2025. In a division where getting to the quarterback is essential, Atlanta needs more than flashes from its edge rushers.
With added competition on the defensive line and coaching staff that won’t hesitate to shuffle the depth chart, Harrison needs a strong showing in training camp and preseason. If he can’t notch 5-6 sacks and show improved consistency, his time in Atlanta could be up.
While much of the attention in Atlanta will focus on how Penix develops in his second year and how Raheem Morris fares in Year 2, the futures of Pitts, Anderson, and Harrison carry enormous weight.
All three were early-round picks. All three were expected to be core players. And now, all three are in danger of being labeled as draft busts if 2025 doesn’t bring a turnaround.
Best-case scenario for the Atlanta Falcons
Kyle Pitts bounces back with 800+ yards and becomes a top-five tight end again. Troy Anderson stays healthy and emerges as a full-time starter at inside linebacker. Zach Harrison blossoms into a reliable pass-rush presence with 6+ sacks.
If this trio takes a leap, Atlanta’s defense and passing attack could fuel a deep playoff run.
Worst-case Scenario?
If injuries or inconsistency persist, the Falcons will likely move on from all three after 2025 — burning early-round draft capital and forcing a reset at key positions.
The Falcons long-term success may ultimately ride on the shoulders of rising stars like Michael Penix Jr, Bijan Robinson and Drake London, but the ability to truly contend in 2025 could hinge on whether Kyle Pitts, Troy Anderson, and Zach Harrison finally deliver on the promise that made them early-round draft picks. If these three take the leap, Atlanta’s foundation becomes a playoff-caliber. If they falter again, the Falcons may be forced to retool key parts of the roster and reckon with several high-profile draft misses — settling the rebuild clock once more.