The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted two tight ends in Parker Hesse and Dakota Allen for workouts on Monday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.
Hesse entered the league in 2019 out of Iowa, but has played with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons under the new guidance of Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. In that time, Hesse accumulated just 14 catches for 132 yards, but the team valued him as a blocker. Even still, Hesse has just eight starts in his NFL career. During his stint in Tennessee, those years came on a practice squad, and it would seem that he needs to beat out players like Rodney Williams to make it onto the final roster for the Steelers. Regardless, Hesse prides himself as a blocker.
Despite having multiple workouts, Allen was undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft and did not land with a team. Out of Eastern Kentucky, he was dealing with a major knee injury in a torn ACL, so an opportunity never fully materialized in his rookie season. He could be the type of signing with upside. Allen switched from quarterback in the 2021 season, posting 34 catches for 440 yards and five touchdowns in his first season at tight end in 2021. He started just five games in his rookie season, posting 28 grabs for 353 yards before suffering the injury that would put his rookie season in the NFL on the shelf.
Pittsburgh has just the four tight ends they rostered by the end of the year in Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward, and Williams on the team.