By Jared Villani
SteelerNation.com
If there was one obvious weakness in the Pittsburgh Steelers offense last season (aside from the quarterback position), it was their lack of a presence at the tight end position. Vance McDonald's injury history could be the deciding factor with free agency looming for a team that may be looking to add a weapon on offense. Although history has shown Pittsburgh has not been overly aggressive in free agency, there is possibility for that to change come March 2020.
Here are a few players that the Steelers could target in free agency:
Hunter Henry
Unfortunately, Henry suffers in similar ways McDonald does in the sense that both have incredible talent, but simply cannot stay healthy for extensive periods of time. Henry possesses excellent athleticism and could be the kind of player to give the Steelers offense a much-needed lift. With Philip Rivers done in Los Angeles, Henry may look to link up with Ben Roethlisberger rather than start from scratch with a presumable rookie.
Austin Hooper
Hooper is without a doubt the top tight end target for any team looking to gain an instant playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. The 25-year old out of Stanford has shown great progression through the course of his career so far, and there is no reason to believe he can't take another leap in the right direction with Roethlisberger back at quarterback next season. Hooper was fantastic last season before suffering a knee injury, and aside from this injury, he has been very reliable in regards to staying healthy.
Greg Olsen
After the Carolina Panthers decided to part ways with their veteran tight end, Olsen voiced his desire to continue his career. Olsen would undoubtedly be the Steelers most affordable option, but his injuries in the past raise a big question mark. Considering Pittsburgh could be on the cusp of a Super Bowl trip next season with an elite defense and Big Ben's return, Olsen's knowledge, skill-set, and experience could pay off huge.
Let us know who you think should be the Steelers starting tight end next season in the comment section below!
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