Zach Gentry Expects Steelers to Do 'Necessary Things' to Keep Him

The Pittsburgh Steelers' backup tight end will hit the free agent market this offseason, but Zach Gentry believes the team has an interest in bringing him back to the roster. 

Gentry, the Steelers' fifth-round pick in 2019, spoke with Van Tate of KRQE about his future and said he believes Pittsburgh will do what they need to to keep him around. 

"We’ll see. I would be surprised if Pittsburgh didn’t do the necessary things to try to keep me there," Gentry said. “But at the end of the day, it’s a business, so it really comes down to numbers and feels and fit and all that good stuff that I’m gonna have to put on my agents and stress about in March. We’ll see how it all ends up, but I would definitely be happy to remain in Pittsburgh."

Gentry had a bigger role for the Steelers the last two seasons, becoming the primary blocking tight end for Pittsburgh. Even as the bigger player in the tight end room, though, he finished the 2022 season with 19 receptions for 132 yards. 

With Pat Freiermuth's lack of true blocking ability, Gentry likely is the team's top option for a backup tight end. His market value is a question mark, but with limitations in the receiving game, he could be a cheaper option for the Steelers while still taking a pay increase from his rookie deal.