Report: Steelers Have Half A Dozen Teams Aggressively Pursuing Offensive Playmaker In Trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been wildly unpredictable ever since General Manager Omar Khan took over the front office. There have been trades that came to light out of nowhere, and he has proven that not many players are safe if he feels as if the team can get a good haul in return for them. This could continue in the 2026 offseason, as the organization has plenty of cap space and draft capital. There is no telling what might happen, especially now that the franchise is searching for a long-term answer at quarterback, in addition to needing more consistent playmaking on the offensive side of the ball.

With a new regime in town being led by Mike McCarthy, there could be several surprising roster moves that were not originally expected. The head coach will have a lot of say in which players fit into his scheme, specifically on offense. One area to keep a close eye on will be tight end. McCarthy has preferred to focus on the wide receiver position in the past, which could spell some bad news for at least one of the projected tight ends that is expected to return.

A lot of criticism has come the Steelers' way in regards to the usage of Pat Freiermuth in recent seasons. He is a playmaker that can be viewed as a legitimate threat over the middle of the field, but it seemed as if he was barely targeted in 2025. The hope is that will change moving forward; however, the trade market appears to be very hot for the former second-round selection.

According to The Athletic's Mike DeFabo, there isn't just one team that has interest in acquiring Freiermuth. There are six franchises that have significant desires to bring in the dynamic pass-catcher.

"At least six teams would be interested in exploring the idea of acquiring tight end Pat Freiermuth, according to a league source," DeFabo reported. "However, at least right now, teams are being told he’s not available. Fellow tight end Jonnu Smith’s situation seems a bit more fluid. The Steelers are still in the process of understanding what a changing offensive philosophy will mean for personnel."

This is a big report that displays just how attractive of an offensive weapon Freiermuth is and can be. If Pittsburgh isn't going to use him properly, another team will. It appears as if Khan and co. are not interested in moving on from the Penn State alumnus at this time, but things can change. With six teams wanting a shot at trading for him, the price could be driven up so high that the Steelers' front office will have to listen.

This will certainly be an intriguing situation to watch. If Pittsburgh does move on from Freiermuth, that would leave Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith as the two set to take on the top spots on the depth chart. However, it appears as if Smith is the more likely to be on his way out, despite the heavy interest in Freiermuth that was reported by DeFabo.

"Freiermuth and Smith were willing to be team-first players last year," DeFabo wrote. "But if both remain on the roster this year, would the Steelers be able to keep both happy?"

There's going to be a lot of chatter about Freiermuth moving forward. Six teams is not something to gloss over. The Steelers could potentially get a way bigger package for the tight end than what could have ever been imagined, but it doesn't seem like Khan has plans to send him on his way at this moment in time.

Steelers Fans Would Be Upset At A Freiermuth Departure

Despite not being used nearly enough, Freiermuth is one of the fan favorites in the Steel City. If the decision is made to deal him, regardless of what the compensation may look like in return, it wouldn't go over well with the Black and Gold faithful. It's impossible to ignore, however, that half a dozen franchises have their eye on the dynamic playmaker.

#SteelerNation