As the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, wide receiver Jahan Dotson has been a disappointment. In two years with the Commanders and two with the Eagles, he has a total of just 1,519 career receiving yards.
Now Dotson is on his third team after signing with the Falcons in March, and he thinks he’s in the right place — for the first time.
“I want to be one of the greatest,” Dotson told Josh Kendall of TheAthletic.com. “I’m not afraid [of saying that]. I was talking to Jessie Bates, and he was talking about wanting to be the best who ever played, and I’m comfortable with those sort of things. I want to be one of the best in the league. I want to show my talent. I haven’t really gotten to do that.”
Dotson signed a two-year, $15 million contract, but he says more important than the money was believing the Falcons had a plan to use him to the best of his ability.
“The big thing for me was going to a team where I felt like my talent could be showcased,” Dotson said. “I learned a lot in my first four years in the NFL from some great receivers and great coaches, but I feel like now is really my time to put my talents on display.”
Dotson didn’t get many balls thrown his way with the Eagles last year, but that hasn’t affected his confidence.
“I 100 percent believe in my talent and ability to make plays in this league,” Dotson said. “It’s just about getting the opportunity to do so. I didn’t really have that opportunity the past couple years. Now I’m looking to really do that, and I can’t wait to make plays for this football team.”
Falcons Clips
When Kyle Pitts was a rookie in 2021, Matt Ryan was his quarterback. Now, Ryan is his boss.
Earlier this week, the Falcons president of football gave the green light to a three-year deal that will keep Pitts in red and black.
The contract replaces Pitts’s one-year franchise tag, which would have paid $15.045 million. Here are the full details of the new Pitts deal.
1. Signing bonus: $16.785 million.
2. 2026 base salary: $1.215 million, fully guaranteed.
3. 2027 option bonus: $16.49 million, fully guaranteed.
4. 2027 workout bonus: $250,000, fully guaranteed (but must be earned).
5. 2027 base salary: $1.26 million, fully guaranteed.
6. 2028 90-man roster bonus: $1 million.
7. 2028 option bonus: $13.36 million.
8. 2028 offseason workout bonus: $250,000.
9. 2028 base salary: $1.39 million.
10. 2028 per-game roster bonus: $1 million total ($58,882 per game).
11. 2028 escalator: $1 million, with $250,000 for making the Pro Bowl or first- or second-team All-Pro in 2026, the same for 2027, $250,000 for 80 catches or 900 receiving yards in 2026, and the same for 2027.
Pitts basically traded the franchise tag for a two-year, fully guaranteed deal in the amount of $36 million. If he’d been tagged twice, he would have earned $33.099 million.
The final year is not guaranteed; it gives the Falcons an option at $17 million, or as much as $18 million.
The base deal is $53 million over three years, for an average of $17.66 million. It reaches $18 million per year if he hits all four escalator triggers.
When Kyle Pitts signed the franchise tag on April 7, the Falcons tight end figured he was playing 2026 under the one-year, $15.045 million tag. But on Monday, he signed a three-year, $54 million contract.
“It was more so, ‘OK, that was my opportunity that Atlanta picked it back up to give me another year to showcase,’” Pitts said Monday, via Daniel Flick of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “and then it was just time to squeeze the rag and just grind. I was fortunate I got the call and the interest in the long term, and when it happened, it was pretty great.”
While Pitts has not lived up to the generational talent that he was projected as the fourth overall pick in 2021, he is only 25 and coming off a season when he earned second-team All-Pro honors. He set career highs with 88 receptions and five touchdowns in 2025, with 928 yards.
Pitts said he “100 percent” believes his best football is still ahead of him, which is what the Falcons are counting on.
“I think there’s a lot more out there, a lot more to get, and a lot more things to keep grinding towards. It’s cool to see,” Pitts said.
It’s official: Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts has a new deal.
Atlanta announced Pitts signed his three-year contract on Monday.
Pitts’ new deal was first reported last week.
“Kyle has earned this opportunity through the consistency he’s shown every day and the growth he’s made both on and off the field,” Falcons G.M. Ian Cunningham said in a statement released by the team. “When we approach any contract decision, we’re always looking at the broader NFL landscape. How the market is evolving, where it’s headed, and how that aligns with our long-term roster strategy. That process-driven approach allows us to reward our own players while maintaining flexibility moving forward. We’re excited about the player Kyle is today and even more about the trajectory he’s on.
“I also want to recognize David Mulugheta and the team at Athletes First, they were professional and collaborative throughout the process, which helped us reach an agreement that made sense for both sides. We’ll continue to work towards drafting, developing, and retaining our own, and Kyle is a great example of that.”
Pitts, 25, was franchise tagged in March to keep him from fully hitting the open market after spending his first five seasons with Atlanta. Pitts put together his best campaign since his rookie year in 2025, setting career-highs in receptions (88) and touchdowns (five). His 928 receiving yards were second to his 1,026 in 2021.
With Pitts now under contract, the Falcons’ next target for a new deal is likely running back Bijan Robinson.
There’s a lot to digest in the lengthy New York Times article regarding former New York Times employee Dianna Russini.
The item, for the most part, handles a very delicate situation the right way. Still, some issues raised by the potential (or actual) conflict of interest arising from her relationship with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel didn’t get the attention they should have.
Here’s one that stands out, after re-reading the article. It relates to the 2021 trade that sent receiver Julio Jones from the Falcons to the Titans, who at the time were coached by Vrabel.
Regarding the Jones trade, the Times article says only this: “In June 2021, after breaking the story that the Atlanta Falcons had traded the wide receiver Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans, she went on television and told a story about receiving a sign while gambling at a bachelorette party in Atlantic City. ‘I’m at the roulette table on Saturday night around 11 p.m.,’ she said on ‘Get Up,’ ESPN’s weekday morning show ‘and I hit on black 11.’ Aware that Mr. Jones wore No. 11 for Atlanta, Ms. Russini recalled telling someone else in their party: ‘That’s Julio. Something’s up.’ She called her sources and confirmed her hunch. ‘I’m a witch,’ Ms. Russini said.”
There could be more to it than witchcraft or sorcery. In late April, we explored Russini’s reporting from the days preceding the Jones trade.
On May 27, 2021, Russini reported that the Falcons “have discussed several offers for wide receiver Julio Jones, including an offer of a future first-round draft pick.” The report, under a headline that proclaimed “Atlanta Falcons have offer of a 1st-round pick for Julio Jones, sources say” created a clear impression that the Falcons had an offer in hand of a first-round pick for Jones. Her report also downplayed the Titans’ chances of landing Jones, calling them a “long shot.”
As we wrote after the New York Post published photos taken in March 2020 of Russini and Vrabel in a Manhattan bar, this reporting may have helped deliver Jones to the Titans. First, by putting out word through a headline on the ESPN website that the Falcons already had been offered a first-round pick for Jones, other teams that may have offered a second-round pick could have reacted to the news by tapping out of further talks. Second, by calling the Titans a “long shot” to trade for Jones, the Titans may have been in a better position to operate unnoticed when the time came to get the deal done.
Ultimately, Jones was traded to the Titans on June 6 — not for a first-round pick but for a second- and a fourth-round pick, with a sixth-round pick also going from Atlanta to Tennessee.
Why did the Times not mention the Russini’s reporting on the upcoming Jones trade? One possible explanation would relate to the internal sensitivity regarding what the Times and The Athletic knew or should have known about the Russini-Vrabel connection before The Athletic signed her to a three-year contract worth nearly $2.4 million.
That’s one of the most overlooked aspects of the story. The Times (and, by extension, The Athletic) purport to have exacting journalistic standards. Presumably, the Times (and, by extension, The Athletic) would ensure that incoming hires have a history of reporting in a way that already meets those standards.
The more attention given now to potential irregularities predating Russini’s arrival at The Athletic opens the door to scrutiny and criticism of the The Athletic (and, by extension, the Times) regarding whether the standards that the Times Company applies to its other journalists were applied when The Athletic hoped to hire an NFL insider, as explained by Peter King at the time, “to be different, to be a subscription magnet, to tell good stories, to be a difference-maker on the NFL beat, and to break some stories.”
Is it possible that The Athletic wasn’t also looking for an NFL insider to stubbornly adhere to the high bar the Times applies to its journalists? Ignoring (or not seeking) evidence that arguably could have, or should have, put The Athletic on notice that the new hire wouldn’t be meeting or exceeding those standards could fuel the perception that, for this particular hire, The Athletic didn’t really care about that.
Then, there was one. . . .
The Falcons reached agreement with tight end Kyle Pitts on a three-year, $54 million deal, leaving Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens as the only player who will play this season on the franchise tag.
Pitts, Pickens and Jets running back Breece Hall were tagged by their team, but Pitts and Hall have agreed to long-term deals. Hall signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract last month.
In addition, Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, who received the transition tag, signed a two-year, $88 million contract in March.
The Cowboys have until July 15 to reach a long-term deal with Pickens, but they already announced the Pro Bowler will play 2026 under the tag. Pickens has signed the $27.3 million tag and participated in the mandatory minicamp last week.
The Falcons have reached an agreement on a new contract with tight end Kyle Pitts.
Pitts is set to sign a three-year, $54 million deal with Atlanta that includes $36 million guaranteed.
Pitts, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2021 draft, was previously set to make just over $15 million on the franchise tender after Atlanta tagged him earlier this offseason.
He will now become one of the highest-paid players at tight end in terms of average annual value, with only George Kittle and Trey McBride eclipsing Pitts’ $18 million per year.
Additionally, George Pickens is now set to be the only franchise-tagged player to play on the franchise tender in 2026.
Pitts, 25, caught 88 passes for 928 yards with five touchdowns in 2025 — his best season since his rookie year back in 2021.
In 78 career games with 72 starts, Pitts has registered 284 catches for 3,579 yards with 15 touchdowns.
The Falcons now can turn their attention to Bijan Robinson for the running back’s second contract, as he became extension eligible following the conclusion of the 2025 season. But Robinson is under contract for two more seasons after the Falcons picked up his fifth-year option in the spring.
Several UFL players already have found new homes in the NFL. Others are still searching.
The UFL announced six players with NFL tryouts scheduled.
DC Defenders linebackers Micah Baskerville and Curtis Jacobs, along with DC Defenders running back Deon Jackson, will work out for the Cowboys.
DC Defenders wide receiver Cornell Powell will tryout for the Lions.
DC Defenders linebacker Brandon Smith has a workout with the Bears, and Louisville Knights defensive end Xavier Carlton will work out for the Falcons.
There are several NFL teams that have taken notice of UFL players, bringing them onto their 90-man rosters.
As noted by the UFL on Tuesday, so far 23 players who played in the league this spring have been signed to NFL rosters.
The Lions have brought in the most UFL players, having signed four.
The Falcons, Cowboys, and Saints have each signed three players. The Bears, Broncos, Dolphins, and Eagles have signed two each, with the Bills and Steelers bringing in one.
Receiver has also been the most popular position for NFL teams, with the group accounting for 10 of the 23 signings. There have been four defensive backs, three defensive ends, and two offensive linemen signed.
The offseason programs around the league have largely wrapped up for 2026, with players and coaches around the league now experiencing some time off.
But training camps are just a few weeks away from opening.
The NFL announced the camp report dates for all 32 teams on Monday, with the first ones opening up in less than a month.
Below are the camp locations and report dates:
Arizona Cardinals: State Farm Stadium | Rookies: 7/22 | Veterans 7/22
Atlanta Falcons: Atlanta Falcons Training Facility | Rookies: 7/24 | Veterans: 7/28
Baltimore Ravens: Under Armour Performance Center | Rookies: 7/24 | Veterans: 7/28
Buffalo Bills: St. John Fisher University | Rookies: 7/21 | Veterans: 7/28
Carolina Panthers: Bank of America Stadium | Rookies: 7/21 | Veterans: 7/22
Chicago Bears: Halas Hall | Rookies: 7/25 | Veterans: 7/28
Cincinnati Bengals: Paycor Stadium | Rookies: 7/25 | Veterans: 7/28
Cleveland Browns: CrossCountry Mortgage Campus | Rookies: 7/23 | Veterans: 7/28
Dallas Cowboys: Marriott Residence Inn Oxnard | Rookies: 7/28 | Veterans: 7/28
Denver Broncos: Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit | Rookies: 7/22 | Veterans: 7/28
Detroit Lions: Meijer Performance Center | Rookies: 7/25 | Veterans: 7/28
Green Bay Packers: Lambeau Field | Rookies: 7/27 | Veterans: 7/28
Houston Texans: Houston Methodist Training Center | Rookies: 7/21 | Veterans: 7/28
Indianapolis Colts: Grand Park | Rookies: 7/27 | Veterans: 7/28
Jacksonville Jaguars: Miller Electric Center | Rookies: 7/25 | Veterans: 7/28
Kansas City Chiefs: Missouri Western State University | Rookies: 7/28 | Veterans: 7/28
Las Vegas Raiders: Intermountain Health Performance Center | Rookies: 7/23 | Veterans: 7/28
Los Angeles Chargers: The Bolt | Rookies: 7/23 | Veterans: 7/28
Los Angeles Rams: Loyola Marymount University | Rookies: 7/25 | Veterans: 7/25
Miami Dolphins: Baptist Health Training Complex | Rookies: 7/21 | Veterans: 7/28
Minnesota Vikings: TCO Performance Center | Rookies: 7/26 | Veterans: 7/28
New England Patriots: New Balance Athletics Center | Rookies: 7/21 | Veterans: 7/24
New Orleans Saints: Ochsner Sports Performance Center | Rookies: 7/28 | Veterans: 7/28
New York Giants: Quest Diagnostics Training Center/The Greenbrier | Rookies: 7/23 | Veterans: 7/28
New York Jets: Athletic Health Jets Training Center | Rookies: 7/25 | Veterans: 7/28
Philadelphia Eagles: Jefferson Health Training Complex | Rookies: 7/28 | Veterans: 7/28
Pittsburgh Steelers: Saint Vincent College | Rookies: 7/28 | Veterans: 7/28
San Francisco 49ers: SAP Performance Facility | Rookies: 7/18 | Veterans: 7/25
Seattle Seahawks: Virginia Mason Athletic Center | Rookies: 7/17 | Veterans: 7/24
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: AdventHealth Training Center | Rookies: 7/27 | Veterans: 7/28
Tennessee Titans: Vanderbilt Health Football Center | Rookies: 7/23 | Veterans: 7/28
Washington Commanders: Commanders Park | Rookies: 7/24 | Veterans: 7/28
