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Roundtable Sports
Steelers Appear to be Turning Rookie Into Tight End
- Story byRoundtable Sports
- Steelers Appear to be Turning Rookie Into Tight End
(Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
Steelers Appear to be Turning Rookie Into Tight End
With Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington , the Pittsburgh Steelers already have one of the formidable tight end units in the NFL.
Freiermuth and Washington have been used more as traditional blocking tight ends during their time with the Steelers, though Freiermuth was the second-leading receiver on the offense last season, catching 41 passes for 486 yards and four touchdowns.
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With the additions of Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard , quarterback Aaron Rodgers might opt to use Freiermuth and Washington less as targets.
With that in mind, the Steelers made another curious choice in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Riley Nowakowski in the fifth round. The six-foot-two, 250-pound athlete can play in the backfield and at tight end.
Nowakowski earned the starting job at Indiana as a tight end last season, recording 32 receptions for 387 yards and two touchdowns.
Per Mark Kaboly, Steelers running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung told reporters on Wednesday that Pittsburgh plans to use him at multiple positions , including in the backfield. But Nowakowski has been working primarily as a tight end during OTAs.
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If Nowakowski makes it as a tight end on the offense, it's hard to see how he helps the Steelers as a target for Rodgers. If anything, he was praised for his blocking abilities during his time at college, which could be an asset, but not something Pittsburgh was lacking at with the tight end position.
Lance Zierlein of NFL Media projected Nowakowski to play at tight end in the league, though he noted he's not built to be a pass-catcher.
"Nowakowski's focus on the task never wavers," he wrote . "He's reliable and tough at the point of attack and holds up well in pass protection. He lacks height/length but is well-built and plays with better technique, strain and finish than many offensive linemen in this class.
"He became a productive pass-catcher in 2025, but he could struggle to separate or win the seam against NFL man coverage. His character and work ethic are outstanding, and he should help elevate run-game execution wherever an offense lines him up."
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While the Steelers are working with Nowakowski as a tight end this spring, it could be interesting to see how the staff eventually develops him in the backfield. He could give Pittsburgh a receiving option at fullback, much like how the San Francisco 49ers use Kyle Juszczyk .
