The Falcons have used top-eight picks in four straight drafts on skill position offensive players. They have not yet recouped the investment.

For the most recent player in the top eight – quarterback Michael Penix Jr. – the time has not yet come to play. For the others, the clock continues to tick.

Kyle Pitts, who was the fourth overall pick in 2021, had no catches last week. For the season, he has eight catches on 15 targets for 105 yards and a touchdown. That amounts to 34 catches for 446 yards for the full 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’ 2022 knee injury has slowed him down. It’s not clear if he will be able to run like he did before sustaining the injury. Then there’s the fact that he’s not a natural route runner. It was a challenge for former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan to figure out how to throw to Pitts. Ultimately, Ryan did — and Pitts was a Pro Bowler as a rookie.

Now, new quarterback Kirk Cousins, who challenged Pitts to use his length and his speedapparently has the same problems that Ryan had.

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

Then there’s running back Bijan Robinson. The eighth pick in 2023, his numbers in 2024 have not improved even though there is a mandate for the new coaching staff to get him the ball.

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

Meanwhile, Tyler Allgeier has had a much bigger return as a 2022 fifth-round pick.

In 2022, Falcons receiver Drake London ranked eighth overall. He’s yet to have a 1,000-yard season, with a high of 905 in 2023. Through four weeks in 2024, he’s on pace for 850.

Their best receiver might be Darnell Mooney, a 2024 free-agent arrival with 225 receiving yards in four games, 25 more than London.

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