Steelers mock draft: Pittsburgh fills in the gaps after free agency frenzy

Steelers mock draft round 7 (via MIN): TE Brenton Strange

The Pittsburgh Steelers have expressed some interest at the tight end position early this offseason, as they met with a few of the top prospects this year at the NFL Combine -- Notre Dame's Michael Mayer included. Obviously doesn't mean that they will draft one early, but it at least puts it on the map as a possibility.

Last season, Pat Freiermuth missed time with a concussion early in the season and a knee sprain during the seaon finale against the Browns. Freiermuth has now missed time in each of his first two seasons, and concussion scares linger in the back of our minds.

Meanwhile, Zavh Gentry was just so-so last year as the team's 'Y' tight end. His limited athletic traits and mobility make him expendable and don't give the Steelers a viable option if Freiermuth were to miss more time. Penn State's Brenton Strange is a player the team reportedly met with at the NFL Combine in February.

Strange projects as nothing more than a backup tight end at the next level, but he's a good blocker who could potentialy fill the role of the 'Y' tight end in Pittsburgh. At this point in the draft, the Steelers will just be looking for players with a chance to make the team.

With the needs that the Steelers have already addressed early in free agency, it's possible that the 2023 NFL Draft could shape up this way for Pittsburgh. We will know more as Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan continue to hit the scouting trail and schedule in-house visits.