The last thing the Pittsburgh Steelers can afford is to trade away one of their top pass-catchers, as the team already has a shaky situation entering the 2024 campaign.
But that didn't stop FOX Sports' Henry McKenna from suggesting the Steelers and Indianapolis Colts pull off a "blockbuster" trade that involves tight end Pat Freiermuth.
The deal has the Steelers sending Freiermuth to the Colts in exchange for a 2025 conditional fifth-round pick that becomes a fourth if the tight end plays 50% of snaps. Here's what McKenna said about the trade.
Freiermuth's name recognition has exceeded his production in the NFL. The 6-foot-5, 258-pound tight end had a solid year in 2022, when he logged 63 catches for 732 yards and two touchdowns. His rookie year, he snagged seven touchdowns. The potential is still there. It's just that he has yet to really put it all together. And in Indy, with big-armed QB Anthony Richardson, Freiermuth could fall right into place.
That's why I could see him taking a massive role — big enough to stay on the field for more than 75% of the team's snaps.
But it's a risk on a few levels for the Colts. Freiermuth is set to enter free agency, so they have to decide which path to take. They could extend him at the time of the trade for a deal that won't reset the market. Or they can wait to see how he pans out, with the hopes that he'll blow up (and, in turn, they'll have to pay him atop the market).
McKenna adds that the Steelers can simply promote 2023 third-round pick and tight end Darnell Washington to the TE1 spot, but the problem with that is he's far from a guarantee to be able to fill the role as well as Freiermuth can.
The fact of the matter is, there's just no way the Steelers can make this trade.
Outside of George Pickens, there are a slew of question marks in the receiving corps., which could make Freiermuth the Steelers' No. 2 option in the passing game. It's possible the Steelers end up trading for stud wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, but they can't depend on that happening at this point.
It's far more likely the Steelers extend Freiermuth, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal.