After the Pittsburgh Steelers accomplished the seismic commerce of the offseason that despatched S Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins for CB Jalen Ramsey, TE Jonnu Smith, and a 2027 decide swap, Pittsburgh finds itself with one of many deepest tight finish rooms within the league.
Smith joins Pat Freiermuth, who has operated as Pittsburgh’s TE1 since getting drafted within the second spherical of the 2021 NFL Draft and signed a contract extension final offseason to maintain him in Pittsburgh by way of the 2028 season. Pittsburgh additionally has Darnell Washington, a mountain of a person, who operates as a robust blocker. Connor Heyward is a Swiss Military Knife on the place, missing ideally suited measurement, however could be utilized as a receiver and blocker from quite a lot of spots.
The massive query heading into the 2025 season concerning the TE room is how the manufacturing/utilization might be divvied up between Pittsburgh’s prime two tight ends, Freiermuth and Smith. Freiermuth is a homegrown product coming off his finest season up to now in a Steelers uniform, catching 65 passes on 78 targets for 653 yards and 7 touchdowns. Nonetheless, Smith was elected to the Professional Bowl final season because of his efforts in Miami, catching 88 passes on 111 targets for 884 yards and eight touchdowns.
Matthew Marczi of Steelers Depot made a very good level in regards to the goal battle between Smith and Freiermuth this upcoming season, as Smith noticed 33 extra targets than Freiermuth. Nonetheless, Freiermuth really outproduced Smith in yards per goal final season. Miami tried 591 passes final season, eighth within the league, whereas Pittsburgh tried simply 499, rating twenty ninth. The addition of QB Aaron Rodgers could inflate these numbers in comparison with the mix of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Nonetheless, OC Arthur Smith nonetheless needs the offense to be centered round working the soccer, so Smith is unlikely to see these excessive goal numbers in a Steelers uniform.
In accordance with longtime Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly, Smith is being considered as a chess piece on offense. He has the talent set to play tight finish, within the slot, out broad, and even dabble at fullback. This utilization will put him in advantageous positions to attract targets, as Freiermuth will probably stay Pittsburgh’s TE1 that they roll out as their conventional starter, albeit coming off the sphere in heavy packages. Smith could keep on as a greater blocker.
When how the snaps/targets/manufacturing could shake out between Smith and Freiermuth, we are able to see the final time Jonnu Smith performed underneath Arthur Smith in Atlanta with the Falcons in 2023, taking part in alongside TE Kyle Pitts. Smith began 6-of-17 video games, taking part in 653 offensive snaps, and caught 50 passes on 70 targets for 582 yards and three touchdowns. Pitts, by comparability, began 15-of-17 video games, taking part in 728 offensive snaps and caught 53 passes on 90 targets for 667 yards and three touchdowns because the workforce tried 530 passes throughout the common season.
Whereas Smith is coming off a Professional Bowl nod and acquired a one-year contract extension as a part of the commerce, Freiermuth is a longtime a part of this offense as a playmaker in his personal proper. Neither go catcher has any rapport with Rodgers (outdoors of the three days Freiermuth and Rodgers had collectively throughout obligatory minicamp), making it a contemporary begin for each tight ends with their new quarterback.
There are different variables that will have an effect on who could have a greater season, like whether or not Pittsburgh will add one other playmaker at broad receiver, however you can go both method for one participant having a greater season than the opposite for all the explanations listed above. If I had been a betting man, I’d enterprise to guess that Freiermuth would have a greater statistical season than Smith, as Smith’s numbers had been inflated final season in Miami. They probably will come again all the way down to earth and replicate manufacturing much like his 2023 marketing campaign.
Regardless, I count on this tight finish battle to be aggressive. Each go catchers will probably end inside a number of targets, yards, and touchdowns of one another by season’s finish.
