PITTSBURGH -- Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth sat together on a cold sideline in Baltimore as reality set in.
"Been through a lot," the tight end said to the running back. "Wish it could've been different."
The pair -- drafted one round apart by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021 -- was anticipated to be foundational to the team's offense as the organization moved into the post-Ben Roethlisberger era.
But after four rollercoaster seasons, two offensive coordinators and three one-and-done trips to the playoffs, the duo is poised to part ways. Months after the Steelers declined RB Harris' fifth-year option prior to the 2024 season, they signed Freiermuth to a four-year, $48.4 million extension, signaling the tight end is firmly part of their future plans.
And while he didn't have the 2024 breakout season expected under new offensive coordinator and tight ends guru Arthur Smith, Freiermuth is still one of the key offensive building blocks the Steelers can lean on as they enter 2025 with quarterback uncertainty. In addition to Freiermuth, the Steelers have a young core of offensive linemen, a slippery fourth-year running back and a pair of ascending wide receivers.
"You've got to look at the young guys that we have," Freiermuth said of the future during locker room cleanout day, listing off offensive tackles Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu (who was injured last year), running back Jaylen Warren and wide receiver George Pickens.
"So we've got guys that need to step up, myself included," he added.
While the Steelers have obvious holes to fill at quarterback, running back and wide receiver, they're still slated to return nearly 60% of their total yardage from the 2024 season. Freiermuth had 65 receptions for 653 yards and seven touchdowns.
"I'm happy with my role," Freiermuth said. "I set a career high in catches and tied my career high in touchdowns. And obviously there's plays left out for me to make that I didn't make. Obviously, we talk about the drop against the Bengals and that last one, I'm starting the game off against the Ravens with the drop. And so there's certain situations where I feel like I could have been better for sure, and that's all part of the growth and learning experience.
"Early on, I was getting hammered from my blocking, and I felt like I developed this year as a capable blocker. It's all about development, and I'm happy with the way the trajectory of my game's going."
The Steelers need to add more receiving threats, but Pickens and Calvin Austin III are capable of being focal points and consistent contributors in 2025.
Though coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged Pickens has more growing to do after another season of avoidable penalties, questionable effort and off-the-field distractions, the wide receiver still proved he could be one of the best downfield threats when he's locked in. Pickens, who is eligible to receive a contract extension this summer, had 900 receiving yards in an injury-shortened season and a career-low three touchdowns. If the team opts to keep Pickens rather than use him to acquire draft capital, the Steelers need to get him going early in games and find another credible receiving threat to keep defenses honest.
Austin added 548 receiving yards in 2024 and averaged 15.2 yards per reception, second only to Pickens' 15.3. He was second on the team with four touchdown receptions.
"I don't think there need to be too many changes just because we got the talent, we got the guys, we got the mindset, we got the fight," Austin said after the wild-card loss to the Ravens. "That's the most frustrating part about it is it's not translated on the field."
The Steelers probably will lose Harris, who's set to become a free agent after his four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. But without Harris, the Steelers' run game has an opportunity to be more efficient. Harris never averaged more than 4.1 yards per carry in any of his four seasons, and his 4.0 yards per carry in 2024 ranked 25th among running backs with at least 100 carries. The Steelers finished fourth in the league with 533 rush attempts, but they were 11th in rush yards and 20th in yards per attempt.
The Steelers will have to add running backs either through the draft or free agency. Warren, who joined the Steelers in 2022 as an undrafted free agent, currently projects to be the focal point of the ground game. Hampered by lingering injuries early in the season, Warren finished with 511 rushing yards and a career-low 4.3 yards per attempt. But in 2023, Warren averaged 5.3 yards per carry in a 17-game season. He also showed prowess in the quick pass game, adding 310 receiving yards in 2024 and averaging 8.2 yards per reception.
With left tackle Dan Moore Jr. slated to hit free agency, the Steelers offensive line will have a different look next season as 2023 and 2024 first-round picks Jones and Fautanu take over the starting tackle spots. Guard James Daniels, who suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in September, also isn't likely to return. Guard Mason McCormick, who became a full-time starter after Daniels' injury, showed promise but struggled down the stretch.
"Certainly, it didn't end the way we like as a collective and as a smaller collective," Tomlin said of his line. "We absorbed a lot of attrition during the course of the journey. We ended up playing a lot of young people. They responded in a real positive way, but maybe they fatigued mentally and physically. Those are things that we're unearthing as we begin this information gathering process."
The Steelers also figure to return veteran guard Isaac Seumalo, who is entering the final year of a three-year, $24 million contract. With such a heavy investment in an overwhelmingly young offensive line, the Steelers now have to prioritize their development to help the offense take the next step.
Though the Steelers have uncertainty about who will quarterback the offense, to Freiermuth, the young core is solid and up to the task of returning the Steelers to a standard they've fallen short of since he arrived in Pittsburgh.
"We got to take that leadership role and whatever happens, free agency or whoever we bring in, we got to let them know what the standard is and what it means to be a Pittsburgh Steeler," Freiermuth said. "Obviously we weren't able to get that done this year. Obviously, we tried. Our goal is to win a playoff game and the Super Bowl, but there's no time for laying down. There's a solution every time I'm in this building to figure out a way to get that job done."