The Pittsburgh Steelers have done well to fill some of their needs through free agency. But they still have a couple of positions left to improve during the draft. For starters, they may need some help at left guard, and the Steelers definitely still need to add to the receiver room.
However, one less talked about position to watch during the draft is at tight end. While he doesn’t expect it to happen in the first round, Steelers insider Gerry Dulac thinks there’s a decent chance Pittsburgh selects a tight end in the first two days of the draft.
“I think another position, it’s not gonna be in the first round, but they want to bring in another tight end. They want to bring in a third tight end. And if it wasn’t going to be in free agency, I expect them to draft one. Maybe by Day 2. It certainly wouldn’t surprise me,” Dulac said Friday via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s YouTube channel.
There are some talented tight ends in the first round. Kenyon Sadiq is the first that comes to mind. He’s very athletic for the position, able to line up all over the field, and has a ton of quickness. Eli Stowers is another tight end who probably won’t go as high as Sadiq but could come off the board early as well.
However, there are a couple of reasons the Steelers might not look at the position that early in the draft. For one, there are some very talented players at other spots of need. At receiver, there are several first-round talents. If the Steelers want to upgrade in their defensive backfield, options are aplenty there as well. And if they still need to fill the left guard hole, Olaivavega Ioane is an excellent chance to do so at the 21st pick, if available.
It’s also not as much of a need, given the talent the Steelers already have. Jonnu Smith was released, which should help Pat Freiermuth step into a larger role in 2026. And while Connor Heyward left for Las Vegas, Darnell Washington is still around. He’ll have a lot more confidence coming off the best year of his young career.
But the Steelers do need still need some more depth at tight end, although it’s not a huge priority. Fortunately, that’s where having 12 picks becomes a real help. The Steelers have five on the first two days. They can address other positions first and still grab a tight end by the third round.
If that’s the case, some names in the third round might include Max Klare, Michael Trigg, or even Sam Roush and Justin Joly. The Steelers will have their options. With two of the Steelers’ tight ends from 2025 now gone, it’s a position to watch once the draft rolls around.
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