What each Steelers rookie will struggle with during 2021

Steelers Pat Freiermuth

Problem: Pro Transition

Pat Freiermuth was a good value pick in the second round of the draft, and long-term he should be a starter as an all-around tight end. While his future looks promising, tight ends almost always have a slow development once they get to the pros. Despite being highly touted, a lot of the top tight ends had mediocre rookie seasons. To expect anything different with Freiermuth, especially with Eric Ebron starting, would be a mistake.

A slow start to his career isn’t that big of a deal, as it is something he can improve upon naturally. The issue is, what happens when Ebron leaves next season. If Freiermuth was more of a slower development his rookie year, will the Steelers be ready to make him the starter? Will they have much of a choice?

If Freiermuth only plays limited snaps in year one and doesn’t look great yet, the team may be forced to look for another veteran to play alongside him. Again, this isn’t the end of the world, but for a team that finally made a significant investment in a tight end, it would be a disappointment. Ideally, Freiermuth looks serviceable in a limited role year one, but if that transition is really a struggle for him, the team may have to supplement him next season.