The Pittsburgh Steelers made noise in the NFL offseason when they added a serious threat downfield by trading for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf last March.
They also signed Metcalf to a four-year contract extension worth $132 million, ensuring that the wideout will be in Pittsburgh for years to come. Metcalf’s addition to the Steelers gives the team a scary 1-2 punch of physically imposing targets downfield, as he will be lining up across George Pickens.
There is also tight end Pat Freiermuth, who’s been a reliable target for the Steelers ever since his rookie season in 2021.
The Steelers have yet to sign Pickens to an extension, so he remains under a contract that is due to expire by the end of the 2025 season. With Pittsburgh committing a lot of money to Metcalf, there are rumors that the Steelers could end up trading Pickens.
Freiermuth speaks up about Pittsburgh Steelers WR
For Freiermuth, he’s just excited about the outlook of having to work alongside both Pickens and Metcalf.
“I’ve talked to (Pickens) a decent amount this offseason. GP’s a great guy, he’s good to have in the locker room. Obviously, stuff happens on the field, but that’s just part of football and being a competitor. He cares, he tries a lot, he works hard. He’s a hell of a talent as well,” Freiermuth shared on Wednesday during an interview on The Kaboly + Mack Show (h/t Steelers Depot). “
So having him and DK on the outside, obviously with me in the middle of the field, is gonna cause defenses a lot of conflict. … I know GP is ready to work with DK, and GP is never shy of competition, so he’s gonna rely on DK for his advice and stuff like that. But GP’s ready to roll for sure.”
Pickens and Freiermuth led the Steelers in receiving yards in 2024 with 900 and 653, respectively. The wideout also had three touchdown receptions while Freiermuth led Pittsburgh with seven TD catches.
Metcalf is viewed by many as a potential game-changer for the Steelers offense, as he’s a two-time Pro Bowler with three 1,000-yard seasons through six years in the NFL.
