Freiermuth (hamstring) plans to resume practicing next week and hopes to be ready to play when first eligible to return from injured reserve Nov. 19 at Cleveland, Alan Saunders of SteelersNow.com reports.
Freiermuth has been dealing with a hamstring injury since Week 4 and was placed on IR before Week 7. He'll miss a fourth straight game when the Steelers host the Packers this Sunday, but after that he's eligible to return and apparently has a realistic chance to do so. He worked out to the side Wednesday while his teammates practiced, telling reporters afterward that he didn't want to "jinx" anything by being too optimistic or hopeful about his health. Connor Heyward and Darnell Washington have been filling in at tight end, with Heyward running the most routes but losing a bit more playing time to the rookie of late.