If the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be making any moves that require the participation of other teams, then it’s going to have to take place within the next 22 hours, after which the trade deadline will have passed and trades will no longer be permitted for the remainder of the season—and after which, vested veterans who are released will also have to go through waivers.
Understandably, the focus on the Steelers when it comes to the trade market is the potential of moving veteran outside linebacker Melvin Ingram, whom reports suggest he has been growing into a bit of a malcontent, unhappy with his role in the defense behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
Many, however, also want the team to move on from tight end Eric Ebron, who is in the second year of a two-year contract. While they wouldn’t stand to gain much from the move financially after they restructured his contract in March, it does appear he is heading for a reduced role.
Rookie second-round pick Pat Freiermuth has emerged as the Steelers’ number one tight end, and third-year Zach Gentry continues to show a bit more week after week, having the best game of his career yesterday as both a blocker and receiver. They also have Kevin Rader on the practice squad. So could they move Ebron, if they were motivated to?
“I’m not sure about that”, Aditi Kinkhabwala told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller earlier this afternoon when she appeared on 93.7 FM The Fan to discuss the Steelers and potential moves at the trade deadline, with Ingram being the emphasis. She also contrasted the two situations.
“He’s a fun teammate, he’s a fun personality”, she said of Ingram. “He’s a good guy. Not that I’m saying that Ingram is not a good guy—I’m not saying that at all. But it’s not as if he’s sitting here being a malcontent or trying to work his way out of town”.
Speaking to reporters recently, Ebron did admit that he was hoping to play more and have a larger role, which understandably any veteran starter and former Pro Bowler would. He also said that at times it was “hard as f***” not to say anything, when he was directly asked if it was hard not to say anything, but added that he is committed to being a professional because he is representing not just himself, but his family as well.
Signed to a two-year, $12 million contract last offseason, Ebron caught 56 passes for 558 yards and five touchdowns in 2020 across a career-high 766 snaps. He has played 185 snaps this year, under 50 percent of the total, and has just seven receptions for 47 yards.
