Reasons why Steelers Pat Freiermuth is set for an elite 2022

Freiermuth’s potential issues from this study

Looking over the numbers, there is reason to be excited about Freiermuth moving forward. That said, this study does overlook a few things. For starters, and as mentioned before, this study doesn’t account athleticism. While not the end all be all for a tight end, Freiermuth isn’t a top-level athlete. Comparing him to an Engram, Fant, or even Graham isn’t in line with what he can do. That said, there are plenty of different tight-end bodies that Freiermuth compares well to such as T.J. Hockenson and a slightly less athletic version of George Kittle.

Another aspect is the fact that the Steelers’ offense is very much in flux right now. There should be another exodus of talent this offseason, and with no set quarterback right now, the offense could be an issue. Even if that’s the case though, having a safety valve like Freiermuth actually would benefit from that. Freiermuth could see an influx of targets because of that.

The biggest ding against Freiermuth is his yards per catch. While anyone who watched the offense this season will know that Freiermuth can make some plays with the ball in his hands, he wasn’t a strong threat on deeper passes. His yards per catch weren’t great as a rookie, and the one thing that most tight ends didn’t see a huge jump in was in yards per catch. Freiermuth really has to become a threat down the seam and on deeper passes if he wants to become a top tight end.