The Falcons have used top-eight picks in four consecutive drafts on players with offensive ability. You have not yet received a return on the investment.

For the youngest player selected in the top eight – quarterback Michael Penix Jr. – the time has not yet come for him to play. For the others, the clock keeps ticking.

Kyle Pitts, the fourth overall pick in 2021, had no catches last week. This season he has eight catches on 15 targets for 105 yards and one touchdown. That means 34 catches for 446 yards for the entire season. That would be a far cry from the 1,026-yard season he had as a rookie.

So what went wrong?

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Pitts' knee injury in 2022 has slowed him down. It is not clear whether he will be able to walk like he did before the injury. In addition, he is not a natural route runner. For former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, figuring out how to throw to Pitts was a challenge. Eventually Ryan did — and Pitts was a Pro Bowler as a rookie.

Well, new quarterback Kirk Cousins, the challenged Pitts to use his length and speedApparently has the same problems as Ryan.

The first three years of his career didn't stop Pitts from collecting his fifth-year option salary of $10.878 million. It remains to be seen whether the relationship will make it into a sixth season.

Then there is running back Bijan Robinson. The eighth pick in 2023, his numbers haven't improved in 2024 — despite the new coaching staff's mandate to get him the ball.

Last year he averaged 12.58 carries per game. This year it is 13.75 after four games. He also averaged 3.4 catches per game. This year it is 3.75.

Meanwhile, Tyler Allgeier has provided a much larger return as a fifth-round pick in 2022.

In 2022, the Falcons took receiver Drake London eighth overall. He has yet to have a 1,000-yard season and will peak at 905 yards in 2023. He is on pace for 850 yards through four weeks in 2024.

Their best receiver is arguably Darnell Mooney, a 2024 free-agent signing with 225 receiving yards in four games, 25 more than London.

Whether in the draft or free agency, teams need to build from the inside out. In recent years, the Falcons have built from the outside in with their top eight picks. And if they lose 3-1 to the Buccaneers, they're in danger of slipping to 2-3 on Thursday night.