The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have a lot of cap space left for the 2026 NFL season. But they have a little more wiggle room after making a contract move with tight end Pat Freiermuth on Saturday night.
Penn Live’s Nick Farabaugh reported the Steelers restructured Freiermuth’s deal, changing his salary into a roster bonus.
“He’s basically getting paid nearly $6M in a lump sum,” wrote Farabaugh on X. “It just pushed cap hit up in future years to give short-term relief.”
Frees up some cap space for the team this year.
Before the restructure, Freiermuth was set to have a $7.6 million base salary. The tight end was also going to have an $11.2 million cap hit.
The Steelers have Freiermuth under contract through the 2028 season. That made him an ideal candidate for a restructured deal.
But one could also argue the contract change for the tight end has arrived at a crucial time for his career.
Freiermuth is coming off a disappointing season in which he lost playing time to veteran tight end Jonnu Smith. Freiermuth had 41 catches and 486 receiving yards, which were both his lowest totals in an NFL season where he played at least 16 games.
But Smith, and the offensive coordinator who favored the older tight end, Arthur Smith, are gone. Pundits expect Freiermuth, along with Darnell Washington, to reassume primary tight end duties for the Steelers this fall.
Steelers Restructure Pat Freiermuth Contract
The Steelers entered the 2026 offseason with a great cap situation. But the team was rather aggressive in NFL free agency.
Then in May, the contract for quarterback Aaron Rodgers was about twice as expensive as it was last year.
On May 24, Spotrac reported the Steelers to have only $3.12 million in cap space. According to Spotrac, only the Miami Dolphins have less cap room.
The restructured deal with Freiermuth will give the Steelers some additional space. That could be key if the team has to sign another free agent as an injury replacement or some other emergency arises.
The cheaper 2026 cost for the tight end will come at the expense of future cap space.
“NFL signing bonuses are prorated through future years of the contract, meaning that Freiermuth’s $11.2 million cap hit in 2026 decreased by a few million, although his future cap hits — 12.1 million and 10.5 million in 2027 and 2028, respectively — went up slightly,” wrote SB Nation’s Behind the Steel Curtain’s Ryland Bickley.
Freiermuth Poised for Bounce Back 2026 NFL Season?
The tight end’s restructured deal didn’t have anything to do with his 2025 production. But the May move could act as a reminder to Steelers Nation of Freiermuth’s expectations under a new coaching staff.
The Steelers appeared to unjustifiable favored Jonnu Smith last season. As a result, Freiermuth received just 54 targets and played 522 offensive snaps.
The tight end had fewer totals in both categories during 2023. But in that season, Freiermuth only played in 12 games. During 2025, he dressed for all 17 regular season games.
Then in one postseason contest in January, Freiermuth wasn’t targeted until the fourth quarter.
A lot of pundits argued Freiermuth’s lack of targets were one of the issues with the Steelers 2025 offense. That needs to change in 2026. Quite frankly, if for no other reason except his salary doesn’t match the opportunities he received in 2025.
This season, the Steelers have a much-less crowded tight end room. That should lead to Freiermuth playing a larger role in Mike McCarthy’s offense.
Steelers Execute Move With Pat Freiermuth Ahead of Potential Bounce Back Season