Aaron Rodgers is still getting used to being a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he already seems to be a big fan of one position group in particular.
During his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show Tuesday, the newest Steelers signal caller praised the team's tight end group for how talented each player is in their own way.
"Pat (Freiermuth) is a super talented guy, he can do a lot of different things. He can block at the point of attack, he can split out and run routes, he can choice routes, he can run seam routes," Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show about Pat Freiermuth.
The former MVP also had plenty to say about Darnell Washington as well.
"Then you got big Darnell (Washington), who is an on-the-ball tight end, like a true Y tight end. He reminds me of Cedes (Marcedes Lewis), ya know, like size first and foremost because he's 6-8 and pushing three bills ya know. And you would think, oh, ya know, big guy, he's that big he can't run, nah man. The last play of the entire minicamp, he caught a seam down the middle against cover two."
Even the oft-used Connor Heyward got a shoutout as well.
"Connor Heyward, Cam's (Heyward) little brother. Connor is a super talented guy, ya know, he's like a Swiss army knife. He can do it all. He can block, he can move, he can slide across the formation, he can catch the ball on the move, he can run choice routes."
Pittsburgh Steelers fans should be thrilled to hear Aaron Rodgers praise the tight ends
Much of the offseason conversation surrounding the Steelers since Rodgers finally signed has been about whether they have enough offensive firepower to make it matter. While that is a real concern, I think it's worth wondering how much adding a more talented QB can elevate the existing talent.
I think that is especially true when looking at the tight end group. Rodgers' high opinion of the group aside, they have a great balance of skills and talent that has not been utilized to the fullest. Freiermuth and Washington could easily be the best one-two punch at the position if used properly, but a combination of play calling and poor QB play has prevented that from happening.
If Rodgers really does like this group as much as he said, they should be the focus of the passing game, outside of DK Metcalf, of course. We have seen offenses thrive using multiple tight ends in recent seasons in response to smaller and faster defenses, and that may be the best path towards an improved offense in 2025.
If the tight ends hit their ceiling and DK Metcalf plays like a receiver worth his big extension, the Steelers might not even need to add any outside talent. If they do make a move, however, this offense could be better than anyone could have expected.