On the eve of the first mandatory practice of the upcoming season, the Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up the signing of their draft class.
Center Zach Frazier signed his four-year rookie contract, the Steelers announced Monday. A second-round pick (51st overall) from West Virginia, Frazier was the final of the Steelers’ seven draft picks to agree to his deal.
Under the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players, salaries for draft picks are slotted. That all has all but eliminated holdouts. Still, it’s comforting that each of the 90 players on the Steelers’ summer roster are officially under contract, even though defensive captain Cameron Heyward is on record that he is seeking an extension.
Frazier arguably is the most likely of any Steelers rookie to be a starter in Week 1. The Steelers’ starter at center the past two seasons, Mason Cole, was released in February. The 6-foot-3, 313-pound Frazier was considered among the top centers available in the draft. Turning 23 before the regular season begins and a four-year starter in college, Frazier has been projected a strong candidate to make an immediate impact in the NFL.
A two-time all-conference honoree who was third-team AP All-American in 2023, Frazier must beat out veteran Nate Herbig. A six-year veteran who started two games at guard for the Steelers last season, Herbig took first-team reps at center throughout organized team activities.
While financial terms were not immediately available, the player taken with the No. 51 overall pick last season — Miami Dolphins cornerback Cam Smith — signed a $7.03 million contract with a $2.1 million signing bonus.
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.