Why isn’t Pat Freiermuth a bigger part of the Steelers’ offense?
Although he played at least 50 percent of the Steelers’ snaps in the first three games, Pat Freiermuth hasn’t been a big part of the offense. Through four games, he has merely seven catches for 63 yards. On Sunday against the Vikings, he only played 15 snaps, or 28.3 percent, evidently part of the game plan.
Unless Freiermuth was nursing a wicked Guinness hangover, it’s hard to explain how a team could play its starting tight end just 15 snaps in a game, regardless of the circumstances. He’s not just a starting tight end, but a tight end earning over $10 million per season.
In his first four seasons, Pat Freiermuth averaged 3.6 receptions for 36 yards per game. Through the first four games this season, he isn’t even hitting half that production. He has seen at least three targets per game this season in the first three games, but none on Sunday. He’s also never seen more than four. He’s received just 10 targets this year, despite earning $10 million per year to catch passes.
Freiermuth seemed pretty excited about his prospects of producing this year with Arthur Smith and Aaron Rodgers, too. For whatever reason, it isn’t happening, even when Rodgers does target him. He is posting his second-lowest catch rate and lowest success rate of his career so far. There have been times when he and Rodgers have not been on the same page. But is that why?
As long as the Steelers are winning, it doesn’t really matter how they use any one player. And aside from Pat Freiermuth, they are also paying TE Jonnu Smith $10 million-plus this year. Smith only played 13 snaps in their last game, though. Blocking TE Darnell Washington loaded up on snaps, but not touches.
Of course, the Steelers rank 28th in the NFL in pass attempts this season with just 110. While they don’t have any player with at least 25 targets yet, they do have six with 10 or more. Freiermuth is the lowest of those six, though, with two running backs and another tight end above him. That’s not what he signed up for, but we’ll have to see how things shake out after the bye.
After another disappointing season and months of retooling, the Steelers are set to try it all again in 2025. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers isthe quarterback question. They settled in on Aaron Rodgers, but we still have a lot to learn about him. The2025 NFL Draft class could play a big role, but veteran additions like Jalen Ramsey will be paramount.
Now we are in the regular season. From Rodgers to George Pickens to Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ramsey, we’ve seen the Steelers make some big changes. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and figuring out how it all works out.
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