Steelers pick up gargantuan red zone threat on low-risk deal

The Pittsburgh Steelers will want to employ one of the most efficient red zone offenses in the NFL next season no matter who plays quarterback. Part of the franchise's plan to improve that skill is to find big pass catchers who can win contested catches in tight spaces.

New tight end signing Donald Parham is an obvious step in that direction. The team moved quickly to steal him away from the Chargers this week. Having a 6-foot-8 receiver is going to pay dividends for the Steelers when they get near the opposing goal line.

Parham is not what anyone would consider to be a prolific receiver but he did catch 27 passes for the Chargers in 2023. Four of those catches resulted in touchdowns. The Steelers would love to see him increase his catch volume while maintaining the same sort of scoring efficiency.

Donald Parham could raise the ceiling on Steelers red zone offense

It will be interesting to see if signing Parham leads to the Steelers' offense utilizing more two tight end sets. The team wants to get Pat Freiurmuth on the field as much as possible. He is a far superior blocker to Parham and might also be a better pass catcher. Putting both tight ends on the same field might be a way to keep opposing secondaries off balance.

One thing signing Parham does not do is solve the team's need to add more talent at wide receiver. George Pickens is a talent on the outside but his challenging personality can be an issue for the coaching staff. At the very least, Pittsburgh needs to find a better No. 2 wideout who can help take pressure off Pickens to work against double teams on such a frequent basis.

Steelers fans should take comfort in the reality that signing Parham is not a novelty move by the organization. He isn't a superstar but he can give their offense another weapon to be accounted for near the goal line. He has a skill set that can thrive under head coach Mike Tomlin.