Pat Freiermuth was one of the first people to reach out to Jonnu Smith after the Pittsburgh Steelers traded for him a month ago. As a team leader, it felt like the right thing to do. But naturally, Freiermuth had some questions—particularly about how the arrival of another tight end, especially one coming off a Pro Bowl season with nearly 900 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, might impact his role in the offense.
According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko, Arthur Smith got out ahead of any questions during a sitdown with Freiermuth.
“I don’t see one really outstripping the other by a lot statistically. I think that’s why they have them both here is because they do have a plan to utilize both a lot,” Batko said via 93.7 The Fan with Austin Bechtold. “Maybe the more interesting aspect of it was something that I heard from Freiermuth and that was that Arthur Smith, after the trade for Jonnu Smith, sat Pat down and showed him some clips and I guess drew up some plays of, ‘Hey, here’s what I have in mind.’
“So that to me says a little bit of, okay, they’re at least aware that this narrative from the outside is how are you going to keep both of these tight ends happy?”
Jonnu Smith is no stranger to being a part of high-powered TE duos. He’s almost always been a part of one since entering the league. First it was Delanie Walker with the Tennessee Titans, then Hunter Henry with the New England Patriots and finally Kyle Pitts with the Atlanta Falcons. And Arthur Smith was his coach for three of those seasons. Freiermuth is new to not being the clear top guy in that room, however.
Freiermuth has been ready for a breakout season for a few years now. He led the team in receptions with a career high of 65 last season, but it still felt like he was underutilized. And his prospects of a breakout season looked high when the Steelers brought in Aaron Rodgers. The recent trade complicated things.
Whatever Arthur Smith showed Freiermuth, he must have been satisfied with the plan. He was talking up the possibilities between the two of them in the offense and said he thinks both are in for a big year. Also, Jonnu Smith said they are the best tight end duo in the league on paper, while acknowledging that they now have to prove it.
Smith’s offensive system is known for being tight-end friendly. This has the potential to be the best TE room of his career, especially when adding Darnell Washington to that mix.
With the lack of what many would consider a true No. 2 WR, the tight ends have a big opportunity ahead of them to fill that void.