Entering the 2023 season, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth was in the conversation among the best 5-8 tight ends in the NFL thanks to the explosive start to his career.
At the time, Freiermuth was coming off back-to-back 60-reception seasons for the Steelers, becoming only the second tight end in NFL history to accomplish that feat in the first two years in the league. Coming out of training camp and the preseason, the 2023 season looked poised to be a big one for the Penn State product.
And then, it all came crashing down.
Poor play under center, a horribly designed offense that didn’t utilize the middle of the field, and a nagging hamstring injury hindered Freiermuth in this third season, leading to a poor season in which he hauled in just 32 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns.
Things changed drastically this offseason offensively though. QBs Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were brought in, along with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who is seemingly a tight end’s best friend. That bodes well for Freiermuth ahead of the 2024 season.
For now though, he remains on the outside looking in when it comes to the TE rankings across the league. On Friday, ESPN dropped its top 10 TE rankings survey. In it, Freiermuth was outside the top 10 in the honorable mention category, though one executive said that Freiermuth, who is “really skilled and savvy” should be in the top 10.
“He’s the guy who should be up there,” an NFC exec said of Freiermuth, according to the survey on ESPN.com. “He’s really skilled and savvy, knows how to get open. Just doesn’t have the production.”
There is no denying the skill set that Freiermuth has at the position. He’s a sound route runner, one who knows how to get open and show his numbers to the quarterback. When the ball comes his way, he’s making the play more often than not, too. Freiermuth has just six career drops in 224 targets, which is rather impressive.
He is as sure-handed as it gets at the position.
It’s understandable that he’s on the outside looking in when it comes to the rankings though, finding himself in the same conversation with names like Chicago’s Cole Kmet, Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts and Arizona’s Trey McBride. He has the talent to be in the top 10, but whether it’s inconsistency, lack of experience or — in Freiermuth’s case — a lack of production the year before, he’s outside looking in.
That could — and should — change in 2024. With Smith calling the shots offensively, the middle of the field should be a gold mine for Freiermuth once again, assuming Wilson and/or Fields takes advantage of the area.
His agent told him upon Smith’s hiring that he’ll love playing in the tight-end-friendly offense, and so far this offseason that’s been the case. The fourth-year tight end, who is in line for a contract extension from the Steelers, has turned heads, looking like “a significant playmaker” in Smith’s offense while establishing great chemistry with Wilson, who happens to have a locker right next to Freiermuth.
The two could make some noise together in the passing game.
Should that happen as expected, Freiermuth will find himself right back inside the top 10 at the TE position rankings next year, back where that NFC executive believes he should be.
