Insider: 1 Steelers Player Is Not On The 'Untouchable' List Despite Omar Khan's Comments

The Pittsburgh Steelers have seen one of their more hectic offseasons in recent memory ahead of the 2026 campaign. They are now in the transitional period where the NFL Combine has been completed and they await NFL free agency in March, followed by the NFL Draft (which they host in the Steel City). New head coach Mike McCarthy has his work cut out for him alongside General Manager Omar Khan. The team also has plenty of draft capital to improve the wide receiver room, which is a big issue. However, it is possible, despite initial reports, they could also move on from tight end Pat Freiermuth.

While it was reported earlier on Monday that Freiermuth would stay put in Pittsburgh, one league source seems to believe that the organization could reconsider if the price is right. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote on Monday night that if the right deal was presented to the team, they may change their minds and move him. While the move is believed to be unexpected, Freiermuth did express some frustration with his lack of usage in 2025 so if the right offer is presented to Pittsburgh, they may determine it is best for both sides to part ways.

"Surely, Freiermuth isn’t among the league’s handful of untouchable players," Florio wrote. "If someone offers enough, the Steelers won’t say no."

While the lack of usage of Freiermuth in 2025 was commonly blamed on former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, and even the Steelers' previous regime, it definitely raised frustration for the former Penn State Nittany Lions star security blanket. A 2021 second-round draft pick of the Black and Gold, Freiermuth barely played more than 50 percent of the offensive snaps in 2025. He also saw his second-fewest yards and receptions of his five-year career in 2025.

In September of 2024, Freiermuth signed a four-year extension with the team, worth $48.4 million. However, in an offense that struggled mightily at times in 2025, the Steelers failed to consistently use Freiermuth. In their first-round playoff loss against the Houston Texans this past season where the team struggled a lot to move the ball and ultimately lost 30-6, Freiermuth's usage was still very low. In fact, Freiermuth had just three targets in that game and caught a single pass for 18 yards.

Shockingly enough, despite the lack of usage for Freiermuth in 2025, he still had more receiving yards at 486 than Calvin Austin III. Austin III was second amongst Pittsburgh receivers in 2025, with 372 yards. His low usage rate in 2025 baffled many, not only because of the team’s offensive struggles, but also because of the investment made in Freiermuth in 2024.

Steelers Need To Establish Clear Offensive Identity In 2026

The team will need to establish a clear identity in 2026, especially on offense. It did not make much sense as to why the organization financially invested what they did in Freiermuth just to see them continue to seemingly stray away from going to him when they were struggling to move the ball at various different times in the 2025 season. The team has a clear need and interest in upgrading the wide receiver room ahead of 2026, but they can also improve offensively as a whole by going to Freiermuth more often, assuming they do not receive an overwhelming trade offer for him.

It will never truly be known if the lack of usage was due to Smith's offense, former head coach Mike Tomlin's game plan, or a combination of both. However, if the team does not get the over-the-top offer for Freiermuth, they can benefit from his size to make plays as the tight end position. The team is in a fluid situation with Jonnu Smith and their other tight end, Darnell Washington, has been used more often in run-blocking scenarios. Freiermuth has every reason to be frustrated at the team and his lack of usage in 2025. However, if Pittsburgh does truly plan to hang on to him, he can be a great asset for a team that struggled to move the ball last season.