Freiermuth

Muth should at least be close to that level of play IMO.

 

Washington is the better blocker. But that doesn't mean that's all he can do as he demonstrated last season. Running downs you can play action and get it to Washington and watch him mow down defenders. He also can be the 6th offensive lineman on running downs.

Muth is a better weapon in the passing game. But don't be fooled, he can run block as well.

Looking forward to see how the distribution is handled in McCarthy's offensive game plan.

Both will have a solid role.

 

Big Sadiq fan here, I'm not smart enough to say how to make it happen, but I would love to see them get Sadiq. Metcalf, Pittman, Sadiq. Use some of those draft pics and move up. Sadiq used properly,,, people will forget about Muth or Washington pretty quick.

 

Blocking effectively as a tight end is not the same thing as doing it as an offensive lineman. Some players can make the transition, but why would the Steelers want that? Having a blocker like that at tight end is a big advantage, especially when he is capable as a receiver.

 

I am aware that we strongly disagree on this issue.

Here is my thing:

You can find a TON of examples of PF totally failing to complete his blocking assignment on run downs. Alex K (who I think you would agree usually doesn't misrepresent things) used to do an almost weekly feature on Steelers Depot of PF getting Harris either hit in the backfield or caught by the backside pursuit he didn't block. To be totally fair to PF....a lot of that was in the dumpster fire that was a Matt Canada designed offense, so maybe I should lighten up about it?

Under Arthur Smith, who we can assume can at least competently draw up plays, PF was often off the field in favor of Washington at TE. Over the course of both 2024 and 2025, Smith seemed to favor Skowronek or Theilen in that detached LOS blocker on wide run plays. That was a great deal of PF's run game role under Canada.

I am interested to see what PF looks like under MM. Does he finally look like a guy who can contribute on all three downs? I really thought that would happen under Smith given his absolute love affair with TEs. For reasons that I am not clear on, it did not. It may have been as simple as Smith got bizarre-o tunnel vision on CPAT and Jonnu Smith.

All I know is that Steelers fans keep making reasons for PF not being on the field and not producing. Everyone tells me he is really good. Everyone says to be patient. But at some point this guy has to get on the field and produce at the level he is being paid. He isn't even on the field for 40-50% of the offensive snaps his entire career.

Maybe he needs or deserves to be dealt to a team that knows how and will use him at the 70+% off the offensive snaps and the 60+ receptions that other TEs being paid like he is are being used.

But something needs to change. Either PF needs to be on the field for 70+% of the offensive plays and get fed 70 or so receptions a season, or he needs to be sent somewhere he will be able to do that.

 

Like I said above, PF is being paid like a guy that plays 75-90% of the offensive snaps. He plays 40-60% of the snaps. He is being paid like a guy who has 70+ catches each season. He does not.

There is a big disconnect between how he is being used on the field and how he is being paid for his perceived talents.

PF is 28 and in the prime of his career. Hopefully the new coaching staff finally figures out how to put him in a position to succeed.

 

We agree that something needs to change.

Steelers fans keep making reasons why certain players weren't on the field and offenses sucked under Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff as well. The more important thing to me isn't that Freiermuth isn't producing. It is the question of why he isn't playing more because he produces when he is on the field and actually targeted.

Ultimately this all plays itself out.

 

I was actually talking about his blocking when used as a extra OL ..If the Offense goes more 11 personnel and the Team prefers PF as the pass catcher Washington will have more value as a extra OL and a back up OL IMO..
I actually think he could be a starter as a OL and would be a great 1 on 1 blocker and a great 2 v 1 next level guy, and tremendous in space as a puller..

The bottom line is Washington is greater than BJ right now as a run blocker and that's the healthy BJ ..I guess it's a value thing to me ..How much use does the #2 TE have in the MM system..It's a great problem to have a TE that can even be looked at in the way a lot our thinking ..

 

You are just listening to the media and the stories the team leaks

 

It all boils down to whether or not MM and his staff can design an effective run game with PF on the field. So far, Canada and Smith failed to do so. We will see in a handful of months if the new staff can do it.

 

7.62 yards after catch

 

A lot of fans don't want to hear it, but all I know is that there are a whole bunch of teams in the NFL that would love to have Keven Dotson at right guard, George Pickens as wide receiver, and Pat Freiermuth as a tight end. The first two went to other teams and are All-Pro players. Muth is still on the roster but criminally misused. But hey, at least we all had the pleasure of watching Jonnu Smith take his snaps and dominate on the field all last season!

I am convinced that the Steelers offense would be better if they had kept these players and used them properly. We are told by fans about lack of talent on this roster all the time as an excuse for the coaching staff, but far too often it appears that the coaches have either gotten rid of or misused quality talent. Then the front office is forced to replace talent that should still be on the roster and thriving, instead of already having that talent here and strengthening other areas of the roster. These aren't marginal players. These are stud football players that anyone should be able to see the value of and evaluate their true talent level.

The Steelers would be better and younger.

I know that Pickens was a problem here and hard to deal with, and the team was afraid of committing to him long-term. However, Pickens was on a rookie contract, and the answer isn't to bring in an uber-priced player with his own issues that isn't living up to the $30 million/per they gave him.

They basically did the equivalent with Metcalf that they were fearful of doing with Pickens for a ton more money while also giving up draft picks to do it. They traded Pickens to Dallas. Dallas got Pickens and a sixth-round pick from the Steelers. The Steelers got a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick from the Cowboys. The team then traded away a second-round and a seventh-round pick while getting a sixth-round pick in return for Metcalf.....all while paying him outrageous money by giving him a lengthy contract. Trading away draft capital while also saying they want more draft assets to be able to move up and land the quarterback they need in the draft. The whole thing doesn't make any sense.

Believe me, I understand the concern with Pickens. I just wish they had a better replacement plan.

 

An extra OL is not the same thing as a regular OL, either. It is more like a tight end. We don't know what Washington would do if moved to tackle. We do know he is an outstanding blocker as a tight end, and enough of a threat as a receiver that defense have to respect that part of his game as well. The Steelers are much better off with him right where he is.

 

Much better as a TE if he gets snaps ? How many 2 TE sets are we going to run ? Also we already have 1 pass catcher added and we will add another in the 1st. round IMO .. So how many looks will the TE position get in all ?

Now if you wanted to talk about trading PF and making Washington TE # 1 I could see value in that .. I like him in both roles as a TE and as a OL , he is a unique player who needs to be on the field..I just think it will be dumb to play him 15 snaps a game..

Who knows MM may see him as a OL already ? Who better to ask than the guy he will be protecting..What if he said yes ?As stated the tape already shows he is the best run blocker on the Team...I don't care what gap you start from ..Can you block MLB types ?Can you block DE types ? Can you block DT types he answers a huge yes to all..

 

Washington has played more than 50 percent of the snaps each of the last two seasons, so he is getting more than 15 plays per game. Last season, he emerged as a difference maker. Blocking assignments for tight ends and/or extra linemen are different from those of a tackle. Washington is a projection at tackle, one we don't know if he can pass protect. The Steelers are far better off with him at tight end.

 

Dude, I went to a good school for college, and scored high on my SAT. And you ask what grade I am in?

 

For what it’s worth both Freiermuth and Washington played more than 50% of the team offensive snaps the last two years

Freiermuth’s count did drop substantially from 24 to 25 pretty much a function of Jonnu

 

Sorry Joel

I guess it just doesn’t show

Sometimes it’s hard to tell what you post is true and what you make up

 

When MM and AR worked together the 11 personnel got as high as 75 percent..The Steelers ran it 40 percent in 2025..I am not going to look at 12, and 13 personnel , but it is easy to speculate TE snaps going way down I speculate total TE snaps cut by half so how many snaps did they get per game last year ? Well it seems PF got 31..

I just guessed at the 15 number for Washington moving forward it seems very possible just looking at potential 11 personnel difference ..

 

And hence why they didn’t need Junno

Let alone drafting a TE