Player: TE JJ Galbreath
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Recently mentioned by QB Will Howard, rookie TE JJ Galbreath is drawing some attention in his bid for a spot on the 53-man roster. Signed as a college free agent, he has an uphill battle, but his work ethic is his ally. He is putting in extra reps after practice, optimizing his chances of making the team.
The Steelers have been kicking the tires on some big-name tight ends like Jonnu Smith and even Kyle Pitts. While those are unlikely to result in anything, it does show an interest in the position. They did not re-sign MyCole Pruitt, and they lost Donald Parham Jr. due to injury. At least in theory, that opens up a roster spot for someone like JJ Galbreath later this year.
Notably, Smith and Pitts are both receiving tight ends, “playmakers”. That better describes JJ Galbreath than do comparisons to Darnell Washington. If the Steelers don’t land another playmaking tight end, that will only help the rookie’s chances.
Also helping Galbreath’s chances are his after-practice sessions with Will Howard. The fellow rookie is leading extra reps with guys like Galbreath to make up for the reps they’re not getting in practice. There are only so many reps to go around, and when you’re a rookie, there are never enough.
The Steelers already have three mainstay tight ends in Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Connor Heyward. All three of them have been here for at least two years, the only one even remotely vulnerable being Heyward. But JJ Galbreath doesn’t even need to take Heyward’s roster spot to make the team.
All he really needs to do is make some plays and cover kicks and punts, and he should be good. At least, it should put him in the running for a roster spot. That doesn’t mean Galbreath would play much, or even dress, for that matter. But Arthur Smith likes his tight ends, and arguably, he is the fourth tight end right now. Actually, it’s not even arguable—they only have four tight ends. So until they add someone else, he is in the driver’s seat.
With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract.
There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
