It didn’t take long last week, once tight end Pat Freiermuth went out with a concussion for rookie tight end Connor Heyward to find himself involved in the offense. Heyward only played 10 offense snaps but snatched two receptions on two targets.
With the future of Freiermuth uncertain with his third concussion in less than a calendar year, we could see much more of Heyward in the coming weeks. Heyward is the little brother of defensive tackle Cam and was the Steelers sixth-round pick in 2022.
What makes Heyward really interesting for a Steelers offense breaking in a young quarterback is his versatility. Before making the switch to tight end as a senior, Heyward was a very productive running back.
The Pittsburgh coaches need to figure out some ways to manufacture touchdowns. Heyward’s ability to get open in the passing game and power as a runner might be a perfect fit for a gunslinger of a quarterback like Kenny Pickett. They seemed to have an instant connection last week when Heyward got onto the field.
