The Pittsburgh Steelers brought in one of their better undrafted free agent classes in recent memory, and one of their more intriguing additions was South Dakota TE JJ Galbreath. A move tight end, Galbreath brings a lot of upside as a receiver, and while appearing on The Pomp And Joe Show on 93.7 The Fan, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic said that Galbreath could push for a roster spot with Pittsburgh.
“He’s got some athleticism, and we know that Arthur Smith loves the tight end position, so I think that’s going to be an interesting camp battle,” DeFabo said Thursday. “Because obviously, Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington are going to make the team at tight end. But they’re very different type of tight end. JJ Galbreath is more the form of Pat Freiermuth, where he’s not especially big and strong, but he’s athletic.”
“I think it’s going to create a competition. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibilities that guys like Connor Heyward, even though he has special teams value and versatility at fullback, he could be in competition with JJ Galbreath.”
As DeFabo said, outside of Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, there are spots up for grabs in Pittsburgh’s tight end room. Connor Heyward wasn’t utilized much in the passing game last season with just six receptions, and the team also signed TE Donald Parham Jr., who spent 2024 on Denver’s practice squad after four seasons with the Chargers. Galbreath’s skill set could set him apart, as he would give the Steelers another receiving threat at tight end and someone who could be a versatile backup.
Galbreath is also going to have to prove that he can provide some value on special teams to claim a roster spot as a third tight end. While he might offer more offensive upside than Heyward, Heyward has established value on special teams, and it’s hard to be a backup for the Steelers and not be able to contribute as a special teamer.
But there’s a lot of intrigue with JJ Galbreath, whom we compared to former Ravens TE Dennis Pitta in a pre-draft scouting report. He could give the Steelers’ offense a different element with potentially two reliable pass catchers at the position, and while Washington took a step forward as a receiver last season, he’s still on the roster for his blocking ability more than anything. Galbreath could give the Steelers someone else who could help create mismatches and even if he doesn’t have a huge role as a rookie, he’s someone who has room to grow.
The tight end battle will be one of the more intriguing ones to watch in camp, as all of Heyward, Galbreath and Parham have a legitimate chance to make the roster, and all provide something a little bit different for the Steelers.
