Steelers notes: Pat Freiermuth finally gets a chance to celebrate, Logan Lee’s season not over
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Pat Freiermuth became tens of millions of dollars richer Friday, and his team won its season opener 48 hours later.
After the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 18-10 victory at the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Freiermuth said he finally would get a chance to celebrate that evening.
So how did it go?
“Honestly,” Freiermuth said Monday with a smile, “I just sat at my house and had a nice glass of tequila.
“That’s probably about it, as far as partying I did. So, yeah. A cool night.”
Freiermuth’s five-year, $49.88 million contract ties him to the Steelers through 2028 after joining the team as a 2021 second-round pick out of Penn State.
Entering his “contract year,” Freiermuth said he initially figured the deal would get done much more quickly when the Steelers and his representatives began speaking in the summer. He said he knew with certainty it was getting done two weeks ago, but the timing had to wait. Then came the frenzied Week 1 weekend.
“It’s definitely sunk in now a little more,” Freiermuth said Monday. “Very appreciative, very happy. But it’s opening week of the season. I am just focused on (Sunday opponent) Denver now.”
Lee not done
Logan Lee began his rookie season on injured reserve. If all goes as planned, it won’t end that way, though, for the Steelers’ first of two sixth-round picks.
Lee made the initial 53-man roster but was placed on IR on Saturday. He said Monday that he expects to be practicing as soon as he is eligible, the start of Week 5.
“Should be healthy a little bit before that,” said Lee, a defensive lineman from Iowa. “But this can be just a good break-in period to allow me to get into better shape, allow me to learn the playbook a little bit, too. So I am just doing what I can to prepare for the opportunity that will come.”
According to the league-mandated injury report, Lee did not practice all last week because of a calf injury.
“When I was healthy, things were starting to come along second half of camp,” Lee said. “I started to pick up things a little bit, (then) a little bit of a setback. But that’s how things go, and it will be all right.
“I am beyond blessed with the opportunity of still being employed, being on the 53 and being able to still be around the culture and facility and approach of an organization like this.”
Sky’s the limit
Lee going to IR was convenient for the Steelers. It allowed them to keep him while protecting the composition of a defensive line group that is so deep that veteran Dean Lowry — signed to two-year, $5 million free-agent deal in March — was a healthy scratch to start the season.
According to Pro Football Focus’ subjective evaluation, Cameron Heyward was the second-highest graded defensive lineman of the 117 who played at least 14 defensive snaps during Week 1 through Sunday. Montravius Adams (3 tackles, 1 sack vs. Atlanta) graded as the 15th-best. Larry Ogunjobi (two) and Keeanu Benton combined for three QB hits.
“I really believe the sky is the limit for our D-line,” Adams said. “As long as we stay together, we can do whatever we want.”