Is Pat Freiermuth about to sign an extension with the Steelers?
The Steelers like to do business during training camp, and TE Pat Freiermuth is arguably their biggest piece of business. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, he was always the player most likely to earn an extension. And from the sounds of it, the Steelers may sign him to that extension very, very soon.
Multiple beat writers have pointed toward that fact yesterday. Mark Kaboly said that there might be something coming “very, very, very, very, very quickly”, and to “read between the lines”. Likewise, Brooke Pryor conveniently pointed out that Pat Freiermuth’s agent was present. Freiermuth’s agent also conveniently pointed out that he was there, which is pretty helpful.
A 2021 second-round draft pick, Pat Freiermuth has 155 catches for 1,537 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career. He is coming off a down season in 2023 largely due to an injury early in the year. Even beyond health, though, former offensive coordinator Matt Canada seemingly struggled to know how to use him.
Under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the tight ends will be a key feature of the offense. The Steelers also have no clear-cut No. 2 wide receiver, leaving the door open for Pat Freiermuth. He has multiple seasons with 60-plus receptions already under his belt and can withstand a higher target share.
The interesting element here is the disparity between Freiermuth now and Freiermuth in the future. Teams always make the argument that they are paying players for what they will do, especially for aging veterans. That’s the argument against paying Cameron Heyward, for example. But the Steelers think Freiermuth will do a lot more than he has, especially last season.
So the question has always been, where is the price point between where he is and where he’s going? Chances are any extension Freiermuth is willing to sign puts him in eight figures per year. That is the going rate for tight ends at this point, and that’s the only incentive he has to sign early. Especially if he thinks he will feature in this offense before potentially hitting unrestricted free agency in 2025.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a first-round playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they exit early or miss the playoffs altogether. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? How will the team continue to address the depth chart?
The Steelers are in training camp and the preseason and the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
