Falcons designate tight end as practice squad elevation heading into Buccaneers clash

TAMPA, Fla. – The Falcons are adding a tight end to their game-day depth heading for Sunday's NFC South clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

MyCole Pruitt has been designated as a standard practice-squad elevation, the team announced on Saturday afternoon.

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Fortifying the position makes sense, considering Kyle Pitts was formally ruled out of this contest with a hamstring injury.

Head coach Arthur Smith doesn't consider Pitts' injury to be long-term, so this short-term solution will help the Falcons execute their offense with four available tight ends.

Parker Hesse, Feleipe Franks, Anthony Firkser and now Pruitt are available for use against Tampa Bay. While the Falcons have plenty options, none of them are Pitts. The Pro Bowler's unique skill set can't be replaced or filled by a single individual. It will take a combination of players taking slightly larger roles, though Smith will ultimately play to the strengths of the talent he has available.

He doesn't have Cordarrelle Patterson at his disposal, either, through Caleb Huntley and Tyler Allgeier are expected to share the carry load.

Also of note here is the lack of a practice-squad elevation for the defensive line, also down a man following Anthony Rush's release. The nose tackle had started all four games before getting cut and played a solid percentage of defensive snaps.

The Falcons will roll with a group featuring Grady Jarrett, Ta'Quon Graham, Tommy Horne, Abdullah Anderson and Matt Dickerson.