PITTSBURGH — Pat Freiermuth played just 15 snaps against the Minnesota Vikings and has just seven receptions for 65 yards over the first four games of the season. In the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense with multiple tight ends playing more than 50 percent of the time, that is a disappointing stat line.
Freiermuth signed a four-year extension with the team last season, but with the addition of Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington’s continued emergence, it has thrown Freiermuth to the side.
So, why is not playing more?
A lot of it comes down to matchups and Mike Tomlin says that Freiermuth’s blocking aptitude does not fit the team’s personality in some matchups when they face 300 pound edge rushers on 4-3 defenses.
“We have a certain personality, particularly when we play 4-3 teams,” Tomlin said. “I haven’t been bashful about that. That’s why we drafted Darnell Washington. You can’t play 4-3 teams with 250-pound tight ends. There are weight classes in combat sports for a reason. When the edge people are 300 pounds, you better have somebody out there that looks like that animal. That was our intentions in Minnesota. As we move into divisional play in the next couple of weeks and we’re playing two 4-3 teams, chances are you’re going to see more of that. It’s unfair at times to ask guys like pat Freiermuth and Connor [Heyward] to block 4-3 ends. That’s not realistic if you want to have a good real run game day.”
Between Smith and Freiermuth, the Steelers have less than 200 combined yards, but they are paying both a combined $24 million. They are finding out they are simply not getting the bang for their buck, but the organization is finding it increasingly hard to keep Washington off the football field.
Could Freiermuth perk up down the stretch? Certainly, but the Steelers have to figure out how to still run the ball either without Washington on the field or how to weave Freiermuth into the equation.