With the NFL trade deadline just hours away at this point, Pittsburgh Steelers fans are on the edge of their seats to see if general manager Omar Khan makes a move that can bolster this roster before the sun sets on Tuesday. Mike Tomlin already made it clear: you can expect this team to be buyers at the deadline.
Pittsburgh's front office practiced what they preached by going out and acquiring safety Kyle Dugger from the New England Patriots. Now, many fans are banging the table for the Steelers to target a wide receiver or a cornerback before the deadline.
But trading away a player before the deadline shouldn't be completely out of the question, especially after the latest development from Week 9.
On Monday, ESPN insider Adam Schefter confirmed Green Bay Packers fans' biggest fears. Sensational tight end Tucker Kraft had, in fact, sustained a season-ending ACL injury in the Week 9 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Kraft tore up the Steelers on Sunday Night Football in Week 8 with seven receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
Losing Kraft was a disastrous blow to a team hoping to contend in the NFC playoff race this year. But the Pittsburgh Steelers have just what the doctor ordered.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should trade Pat Freiermuth to the Green Bay Packers
One week before Kraft's massive performance against the Steelers, tight end Pat Freiermuth exploded for a monstrous game against the Cincinnati Bengals, which included five receptions on six targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately for Freiermuth, he's seen his role in Pittsburgh decrease with the emergence of Darnell Washington.
Freiermuth has only played 30 or more snaps in one game since Week 4, as Washington continues to outpace him in usage. The reduced role has also cut into Freiermuth's production, as he's on pace for the worst statistical season of his career.
While Freiermuth has not publicly declared his frustration with the organization—nor has he demanded a trade—it's safe to assume that the proven commodity would be itching at the opportunity to be heavily involved in the passing game again. That's something the Packers could offer him. And the Steelers might regret not trading him before the deadline.
Though the Steelers hardly want to part with assets when they feel they are in a Super Bowl window, Freiermuth has essentially become the third tight end on this team. Instead of dishing out $12.1 million per year to a backup tight end, per Over the Cap, Pittsburgh could unload him to a team now desperate to replace their superstar at the position.
Freiermuth would hardly be a one-to-one replacement for Tucker Kraft, but he's easily an upgrade over what they have now. Freiermuth checks a ton of boxes the Packers would likely seek: he's a former second-round pick with loads of starting experience in his first four seasons, and he already has three years of 60-plus receptions.
Freiermuth isn't as athletic as Kraft, but he can run a full route tree, is tough at the catch point, and physical after the catch. This could make him the exact piece Green Bay could pursue as they look to capitalize on a Super Bowl window of their own.
Ideally, the Steelers would love to get back one of the Packers' wide receivers in return. However, Green Bay just got Christian Watson back, while Jayden Reed is still nursing a collarbone injury suffered early in the season. Because of this, the Packers would likely be unwilling to part with an important piece of their offense, like Romeo Doubs. But maybe a talented player like WR Dontayvion Wicks could be included in the trade.
If not, the Steelers could ask for a depth piece elsewhere to add to their roster. Or at the very least, they could dangle Freiermuth in front of a desperate Packers team for a respectable draft pick in 2026.
Assuming Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith can stay healthy the rest of the way, Pat Freiermuth becomes expendable. I don't see Mike Tomlin signing off on trading an asset away before the deadline, but shipping him to Green Bay is a trade that could make sense for both teams after the catastrophic injury to Tucker Kraft.