Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth Likely Watching T.J. Hockenson Negotiations

The Pittsburgh Steelers could see their future with Pat Freiermuth.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has already established himself as one of the top options in the team's passing attack. While he still has two years left on his rookie deal, he, along with his agent, will definitely be eyeing how another important negotiation plays out in Minnesota. 

PFF's contract expert Brad Spielberger wrote an article detailing which players' contract negotiations are worth monitoring at each position. Spielberger suggests that fellow tight end T.J. Hockenson should aim to surpass George Kittle's $15 million dollar per year contract that he received from the San Francisco 49ers a couple of seasons ago. The question in play is whether or not he'll receive a contract extension from the Minnesota Vikings prior to the start of the regular season or if he'll play out his fifth-year option in 2023. 

Why is this important for Pat Freiermuth? If he remains healthy and produces in 2023 as he has in his first two professional seasons, there's a good chance that he's Pittsburgh's top priority for an extension next offseason. 

Hockenson was a top-ten overall pick coming out of Iowa back in 2019, but it took him a little bit to find his footing in the league. Despite being drafted a full round ahead of Freiermuth in his respective draft, if you compare their first two professional campaigns, the numbers might surprise you.

First two seasons in the NFL:
Hockenson- 99 catches, 1,090 receiving yards and eight touchdowns
Freiermuth- 127 catches, 1,254 receiving yards and nine touchdowns

Freiermuth isn't just keeping pace; he's exceeding it. The good news for Hockenson is that once the Detroit Lions decided to trade him last season, he was rewarded with a bigger role in a more vast passing offense. After the trade in Week 9, he reeled in 70 catches for 648 yards and three touchdowns. 

Aside from seeing his touchdown totals decline in 2022, the rest of Freiermuth's efficiency numbers improved across the board, according to PFF.

Yards per catch:
2021- 8.2
2022- 11.6

Yards after catch/reception:
2021- 4.3
2022- 4.6

Average depth of target:
2021- 5.6
2022- 8.4

Freiermuth showed improvement as a route runner, whether that was more efficient breaks to separate against man coverage or finding the void in soft zone looks. He was the Steelers' best receiver after the catch last season, operating out of the slot on over a third of his snaps. Freiermuth also has strong hands, rarely putting the ball on the ground, which makes him extremely reliable. 

The big difference between Hockenson and Freiermuth is that the Vikings are likely going to be airing it out on a weekly basis, allowing their tight end to accrue a bunch of numbers in the box score. That might not be the case for Freiermuth, however. Pittsburgh's offense shifted to a very run-oriented style of play down the stretch, leading to a winning streak that nearly put them into the postseason. Still, Freiermuth's role in the offense is secure, even if his numbers don't shatter records.

As far as concerns go, Freiermuth already has three confirmed concussions at the NFL level, which is obviously very concerning. Injuries are always unfortunate, especially serious ones of this manner. Everyone involved is hoping and praying that Freiermuth's going to be healthy and available moving forward, allowing him to be a foundational piece for the offense for the significant future.

The growth of Kenny Pickett is the number one priority for the Pittsburgh Steelers organization for the short term and long term. Keeping Freiermuth in the fold as his security blanket is a smart decision and one that could pay significant dividends down the line. Not to mention, the Penn State product's skill set would play even better if Matt Canada and Kenny Pickett can figure out a way to unlock the middle of the field for his 6-5, 260-pound frame. 

Provided the concussion issues are things of the past, Freiermuth is headed toward a well-deserved payday. How big of a payday will it be? We'll have to see where Hockenson sets the bar for his peers to follow. 

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