Pittsburgh Steelers trade key pass-catcher to Giants in proposed deal

The last thing the Pittsburgh Steelers can afford to do is trade away any of their best pass-catchers, but that didn't stop one analyst from suggesting a deal that sends tight end Pat Freiermuth to the New York Giants .

According to Bleacher Report's Alex Kay , the trade proposal has Muth going to the Giants in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick, a deal the Giants would probably gladly make.

As Steelers fans' heads explode over this suggestion, here's a look at what Kay had to say about the trade:

To address this issue, the G-Men should inquire about Pat Freiermuth's availability. The Steelers have yet to extend the tight end's contract, making him a potential free agent after the upcoming campaign.

While Freiermuth is coming off a down 2023 season—he notched a meager 32 receptions for 308 yards and two touchdowns—he's only a year removed from a breakout 63-catch, 732-yard campaign. He also found pay dirt seven times as a rookie in 2021 and could re-emerge as a regular scoring threat if he lands with the Giants.

Considering Pittsburgh has Darnell Washington waiting in the wings, getting a Day 3 pick in return for Freiermuth could help the team during a critical 2025 offseason.

There is absolutely no way the Steelers trade Freiermuth, barring an offer they simply can't refuse. This offer doesn't qualify as that.

Pittsburgh is already lacking dependable options in the passing game, and as things stand now, Freiermuth could be the No. 2 option behind wide receiver George Pickens.

Sure, the Steelers drafted Darnell Washington in the third round last year, but he had just seven receptions for 61 scoreless yards in his rookie campaign, making him a total wild card as a pass-catcher going into Year 2.

Freiermuth is going into the final year of his rookie contract in 2024, but he's more likely to get extended than traded. If the two sides can't reach an agreement at some point, it's possible the Steelers would trade him at the deadline, but only if they are totally out of contention, something that is unlikely to happen that early.