"Wouldn't Surprise Me": Steelers Considering Bold Day 2 Draft Selection

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been very active early on during the 2026 offseason. Instead of focusing solely on trades and building up future compensatory picks, the front office just went after everyone it could. What was a team full of holes and questions is now a unit that has lots of depth all over the place, especially on defense. The franchise still needs to figure out exactly what its plan is at quarterback, but it has built a solid foundation to help any passer thrive in this situation, regardless of experience.

While making an appearance on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette YouTube channel, insider Gerry Dulac brought up a position that the Steelers still believe they need to bolster just to add some more depth.

"It's not going to be in the first round, but [the Steelers] want to bring in another tight end; they want to bring in a third tight end," Dulac said. "If it wasn't going to be in free agency, I expect them to draft one, maybe by Day 2. It certainly wouldn't surprise me."

The Steelers have two great tight ends on the roster right now in Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. They will get almost all of the snaps on offense, but those are the only experienced players in that positional group at this time. It may not be Arthur Smith's tight end-heavy offensive scheme anymore, but it's still good to have some sort of depth there just in case something happens to one of the top guys. 

The Steelers released Jonnu Smith well before the new league year, and Connor Heyward left to play for the Las Vegas Raiders. There is a need for depth at the position, even if that player is just a blocking tight end that gets a handful of targets and plays on special teams. Freiermuth has never been much of a blocker, so getting someone else to fill those two-tight end sets would make sense for Pittsburgh, if futures contract recipient JJ Galbreath is not the answer.

The Steelers are expected to focus on wide receiver, defensive back, the trenches, and maybe quarterback early on, so Day 2 might be a little too high to go get a new tight end, especially since Pittsburgh is looking to sell off some of the selections they have. If a great option falls far enough, however, it wouldn't be surprising to see the front office just go for best player available and snag a high-ceiling option. 

Steelers Have Some Options At Tight End

There are a few quality options available on the open market. Ian Thomas has made a living off of being a quality blocker while also going out to catch a few passes for the Raiders and the Carolina Panthers. If Pittsburgh wants a younger option, Harrison Bryant will come cheap after an injury-filled 2025 season. When healthy, he has also been used as a red zone option, which could be an extra threat in Pittsburgh's new offense. 

Many teams already have their starting tight ends figured out, so there is a good chance that one falls further than expected. Guys like Joe Royer from the Cincinnati Bearcats and Max Klare from the Ohio State Buckeyes are seen as third-round picks, but due to the lack of need across the league, the Steelers may end up snagging one of them in the fourth round. 

If that does not happen, then there are plenty of late-round guys available for the Steelers. Even if they trade a few picks to move up in the draft, odds are one of them is going to be used to add depth to the tight end room. Maybe they find a guy with a fourth-round grade in the sixth round. Either way, there are plenty of options for Pittsburgh to address this need to help new tight end coach Robert Kugler. 

What do you think about the Steelers looking for another tight end? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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