Steelers' Pat Freiermuth Passes Along Message To Offensive Players Not At OTAs: "It's Very important"

The Pittsburgh Steelers began Organized Team Activities (OTAs) on Tuesday and had an extremely solid showing out on the field. Despite the workouts being optional, most of the big names on the roster showed up to get acclimated with the newest form of the team's roster. New wide receiver, DK Metcalf, was absent, but aside from him not being there, it seemed like the majority of important offensive players showed up. The question that remains on everyone's mind, however, is if Aaron Rodgers is going to eventually decide to sign a contract that would have him playing in the Steel City during the 2025 campaign.

It's not going to be very possible for players to ignore the questions that will be asked in the coming weeks regarding Rodgers. If he signs, it will finally shut out the talk that has been relevant for the better part of two months. While not every topic that was brought up by reporters on Tuesday had to do with Rodgers, it's easy to connect some of the dots when certain guys are speaking to the media.

Tight end and one of the most prominent figures on the Steelers' offense, Pat Freiermuth, fielded a plethora of questions about the state of the team. In a video posted to YouTube by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he took some time to be very firm in his belief that it is imperative for as many players to be there as possible as the season inches closer.

"It's very important," Freiermuth said in regards to every offensive player participating in OTAs. "Being able to spend time together, talk about the base stuff of the offense so when we hit training camp, we can talk about further fundamentals and details. So, it's very important to be here and work with the guys, get familiar with them, and just get on the same page."

This echoes a statement from his teammate, Patrick Queen, who also noted how important it is to get out on the field during offseason workouts. Freiermuth, however, was asked specifically about the offense. It's not like he was calling any one individual out, but if the shoe fits, Rodgers taking his time for an unknown reason certainly is relatable. No one is sure as to why Metcalf wasn't in attendance, but that could soon be put to bed as he could show up any day.

Some may not look at the absence of Rodgers as a big deal, but not everyone can get up to speed with an offense like a 41-year-old veteran. Even if the quarterback does show up well into the summer and has no issues picking up the playbook, building rapport with some of the younger players could prove to be challenging. Freiermuth mentioned that the unit is looking to iron details out so it can hit the ground running during training camp.

Unfortunately, this plan gets thrown out the window if Rodgers makes the decision to wait until late July, or later, to show up to the Steelers' facilities. OTAs are an extremely important time to get a newly-constructed roster working together, but if the quarterback during these weeks is Mason Rudolph, and Rodgers shows up down the line, it completely resets all of the work that had already been done.

Steelers Not Having Top Quarterback At OTAs Could Be Very Damaging

While Pittsburgh has not said too much about Rodgers and the expectations surrounding his decision, it's impossible to argue that it's helpful for the offense that he's not at OTAs. While voluntary right now, the veteran would be hopping into an offense with so many new faces and talents. The group as a whole needs to get on the same page as early as possible, but right now, that is being done with Rudolph, and not Rodgers.

The Steelers' offense has struggled mightily in recent years and the last thing the fan base wants to see is a unit that starts the 2025 season slow. That could potentially happen if Rodgers continues to delay his decision.

Do you think it is important for the Steelers to have their starting quarterback (whoever that may be) at OTAs? Let us know in the comments below!

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