As the outside world contemplates the Steelers’ needs at receiver, TE Pat Freiermuth is putting his hat in the ring. The fifth-year tight end hasn’t had the opportunities he usually does, but he reminded fans of his abilities in Week 8. Despite the loss, he had a career game with 111 yards and two touchdowns.
This week, there is talk of interest in WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and rumors about trade targets persist. After all, the trade deadline is just around the corner. But perhaps they see the untapped potential already on the roster. Can Pat Freiermuth be the number two target?
“Hopefully,” he told Kay Adams on Wednesday on the Up & Adams program. “I think Arthur [Smith], I’ve got a lot of guys’ trust in the organization. Our offense is rolling right now. We want to finish drives more, but I think we’ve got a lot of talent on our side of the ball, and we’ve been doing some pretty fun things on offense. So, whatever happens, happens, but I think we’ve got a lot of playmakers on our side of the ball right now.”
And he could fairly include himself in that group—if he actually sees targets. So far this season, Pat Freiermuth has just 16 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns. And he had five catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns in just one game. That means in the Steelers’ other six games, he has just 11 catches for 89 yards and zero scores. But he’s also had 15 targets in those other six games—not even three per game.
And as a reminder, the Steelers are paying Freiermuth an eight-figure annual salary. One would think they want to utilize a talent they deemed worth that expense. After all, he caught seven touchdowns just last season, and that was with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Aaron Rodgers can get the ball to his playmakers in the red zone, as he’s shown this season. Of his 16 touchdown passes this year, 11 have been in the red zone. That includes one of 19 yards to Freiermuth. The tight end’s other score went for 68.
Last year, Freiermuth caught 65 passes on 78 targets for 653 yards and 7 touchdowns. This season, he is on pace for 39 catches on 51 targets for 486 yards and 5 touchdowns. I’m surprised the yardage is that high, but that’s what one game can get you.
The problem is the Steelers aren’t consistently utilizing anybody on a game-to-game basis. Just as Rodgers seemed encouraged by the establishment of an identity, it disappeared the next week. In theory, it’s nice that anybody could step up at any given week. One week, it was Pat Freiermuth, and the next, Roman Wilson. But at what point is that just random, dumb luck, rather than design? Clearly, you can’t get lucky all the time.
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