Who Should I Start? Hayden Hurst or Pat Freiermuth

Thursday, March 14, 1:52 PM

Free-agent tight end Hayden Hurst (concussion) is visiting the Los Angeles Chargers with the intention to sign with the team, according to a source. Hurst was recently released by the Carolina Panthers. The 30-year-old veteran signed a three-year, $21.75 million deal with the Panthers last offseason but missed the final eight games last year due to a serious post-traumatic amnesia concussion. There were questions as to whether Hurst would even continue his career, but he's apparently recovered and plans to continue playing in 2024. Veteran Gerald Everett is no longer in LA, but they still have Donald Parham Jr. and recently signed Will Dissly to the TE room, so Hurst would be battling for playing time with those two if he were to sign with the Chargers. Hurst, a former first-rounder (25th overall) in 2018, caught just 18 passes for 184 yards and one touchdown in Carolina last year.

Thursday, April 4, 2:16 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth said on the Around the 412 podcast on Wednesday that he wants "to be in Pittsburgh for the rest of my career" as he heads into the final year of his rookie contract in 2024. He missed five games in 2023 due to a hamstring injury, but overall his numbers declined from the previous two seasons. Subpar quarterback play didn't help, and the 25-year-old former second-round pick in 2021 out of Penn State caught a career-low 32 passes for 308 yards and only two touchdowns in 12 regular season games (nine starts). In new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's offense, Freiermuth could have a bounce-back campaign in 2024 and will be a nice sleeper target in fantasy drafts this fall.