With the Pittsburgh Steelers lacking a clear-cut option to be their No. 2 receiver, tight end Pat Freiermuth is someone who’s been mentioned to essentially play that role. With how much Arthur Smith loves to use his tight ends, the idea that Freiermuth could have a big season isn’t all that far-fetched, and Steelers radio announcer Craig Wolfley thinks that Freiermuth will wind up being one of the best tight ends in the league.
On Big Blue Kickoff with Paul Dottino, Wolfley said that he thinks Freiermuth could be a top-five tight end in football.
“The de facto, if you asked me right now, the number two receiver is gonna be Pat Freiermuth. And they’ve gotta get him more targets. They saw what he’s capable of doing when he caught nine of 11 and a buck something against Cincinnati,” Wolfley said. “That’s what he needs, more targets, and there wasn’t enough targets for him last year. Mark my words, I think Freiermuth at the end of the day, he’s gonna be one of the top five tight ends in the league when you run ’em down.”
Freiermuth had at least 60 receptions in each of his first two seasons in the league, but injuries and poor quarterback play limited him in 2023, as he had just 32 receptions for 308 yards and two touchdowns. In Smith’s offense, assuming Freiermuth is healthy, those numbers should jump regardless of Pittsburgh’s receiver situation, and with no enticing option opposite George Pickens, Freiermuth’s numbers could increase even more.
If we look at the league leaders in receiving yards by a tight end last season, you have the usual suspects of Travis Kelce and George Kittle at the top, with Kittle the only tight end to go over 1,000 yards last season. Behind those two were Evan Engram, T.J. Hockenson and Sam LaPorta, and Mark Andrews will factor into the top tight ends, but he missed time with an injury last season. LaPorta was fifth with 889 receiving yards last season, and reaching that number would be a big jump for Freiermuth, but it’s certainly possible.
The game against Cincinnati last season was Friermuth’s only game with over 50 yards in the regular season. He had nine catches for 120 yards, but he also finished the season on a high note in Pittsburgh’s Wild Card Round loss to the Buffalo Bills, pulling in five receptions for 76 yards. With increased usage and an offseason developing rapport with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, Freiermuth could certainly surpass the 800-yard threshold, if not more, and put himself in the conversation as one of the top tight ends in the league.
