One area to improve for each member of Steelers 2021 draft class

Steelers Freiermuth

Issue: Yards Per Reception

The Steelers had no bigger of a surprise than when Pat Freiermuth essentially became their starting tight end early in the season. While a second-round draft pick, he was behind then-incumbent Eric Ebron and rookie tight ends typically have a steep learning curve when it comes to transitioning to the NFL. That said, Freiermuth became a great safety valve in this offense and was arguably the best rookie for this team.

The one area that Freiermuth was lacking overall was in his yards per reception category. This wasn’t all his fault, as the Steelers offense was made up mostly of short passes and check-downs. He actually had a decent yard after the catch number of 247 yards, essentially half of his total yards. This season though, Freiermuth has to be more of a down-the-field threat for this team.

This isn’t to say that he suddenly has to be putting up receiver-like numbers here. A jump to around 10 yards per reception would be more than enough assuming he maintains (or likely improves) his receptions and touchdowns. He is a physical presence though, and that should be welcomed for a down-the-field target. If he takes that step, he will be well on his way to becoming a top tight end in the league.