Everyone who follows the Pittsburgh Steelers knows about their in-house policy on contract negotiations with their own players once the regular season starts. If you don’t, let me explain.

They don’t negotiate with players in-season. No exceptions.

That means the clock is ticking on players searching for a new deal, similar to the deal the Steelers gave Cam Heyward just two days ago. So, who else could be in line for a new deal? You could make a case for Jaylen Warren, Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth to all get new deals before the start of the season.

As an undrafted rookie who is a restricted free agent, Warren’s deal could come after this season. The Steelers had an option to keep Harris on the 5th year option as a 1st Round draft pick, and the team declined that option. In other words, it is highly unlikely the Steelers go to the negotiating table with Harris before the 2024 season.

That leaves Freiermuth.

Most are assuming Freiermuth, the team’s 2nd Round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, would be the next option for a new deal. But should the Steelers be interested in making that investment into the tight end before the season?

Before I dive into the numbers, I want to make it clear I’m not against Freiermuth getting a new deal. However, I do want the contract to reflect what he’s done in his first three seasons in the NFL. In other words, if Freiermuth is hitting the negotiating table with an agent trying to reset the market at the position, the Steelers should just walk away.

Let’s look at the numbers…

Freiermuth has had an issue with injuries, but he played in 16 games in his first two seasons. It was 2023 where he was relegated to just 12 games after injuries sidelined him at multiple times. In terms of production, Freiermuth’s best season in terms of touchdowns was in 2021, Ben Roethlisberger’s final year in the league. When talking about yardage, Freiermuth had 732 yards in 2022.

What isn’t going in Freiermuth’s favor is the fact he is coming off his worst season as a professional in 2023. As stated earlier, Freiermuth only played in 12 games last season. During his injury plagued season the offense failed to every feature him as he only tallied 308 yards and 2 touchdowns.

For the Steelers, if they are trying to buy when the stock is low on the young tight end, they certainly have the opportunity to do so; however, Freiermuth might not see it the same way. This could make negotiations dicey if Freiermuth is basing his perceived value on his potential, while the Steelers are focused on the tangible things he’s done in his Steelers career.

What do you think? Should the Steelers extend Freiermuth? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1.