Freiermuth is a candidate to take on a larger role in Pittsburgh's passing game during the 2026 campaign, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Freiermuth was targeted only 54 times in 17 regular-season games in 2025, tying Jonnu Smith for the lead among Pittsburgh's tight ends while Darnell Washington drew 43 targets. Smith is no longer on the team, and while the Steelers made a high-profile addition at wide receiver by bringing in Michael Pittman, they also lost running back Kenneth Gainwell, who led the team with 73 catches last season. It's worth noting that Aaron Rodgers typically hasn't relied heavily on tight ends, as no tight end has recorded a regular season with more than 767 receiving yards on a team quarterbacked by Rodgers.