The Steelers sign Kenny Pickett in the first round

More than a month before the start of most training camps, the first round of the entire NFL has been signed.

So is the entire Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 draft class.

The keynote speaker signed the contract on Thursday morning: first-round pick Kenny Pickett.

The former Pitt quarterback was the last non-contracted first-round choice in the league and the final of Steelers’ seven draws.

The financial terms have not been disclosed, but under the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players’ association, newcomer contracts are evaluated on a slot system based on the player’s selection in the draft. All first-round voters will receive a four-year contract with a team selection for 5 years.

Pickett, who ranks 20th overall, is the first quarterback to be selected by the Steelers in the first round after Ben Roethlisberger finished 11th in 2004. He now has the opportunity to succeed Roethlisberger.

During organized team activities and a mini-camp, Pickett confirmed that he would make third iterations after veterans Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph. Rudolph is about to start his fifth season at the Steelers and has been the second choice of the 2nd former draft. Trubisky, who signed a two-year free agent contract in March, has trained with the core team.

“It’s really my job to ask questions and learn (Trubisky) and watch how he does things and how they do their business,” Pickett said. “There’s a fine line between this mentoring, but we have a great relationship and everything is going smoothly.”

Pickett was a finalist in the Heisman Trophy in 2021 after leading Pitti to the ACC Championship, which the Panthers won over the Wake Forest for the first conference title in the program. Pickett made 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns and seven halves during the season on 67% of the pass.

Pickett graduated from Pitt’s career school as an all-time leader in fouls (12,303), graduations (1,045), total attacks (13,112 yards), 300 yards in fouls (16), 400 yards in foul play (five) and fouls. landings.

Except for the unforeseen, Kenny Pickett is still the third quarterback when the Steelers open the Saint Vincent camp on July 26th. https://t.co/GJKyQ80WrJ

– Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) June 19, 2022

“She’s doing well,” Trubisky said of Pickett after finishing the mini-camp. “She’s grown and she’s getting better every day.”

Pickett turned 24 earlier this month and was one of the oldest and most experienced players in the draft, regardless of position. He won 32 of his 49 college starts, including starts in the only two conference championship games in program history (Pitt lost to Clemson in the 2018 title game).

“He has a good idea of ​​how everything in the locker room is,” counsel Najee Harris said of Pickett. “Apparently he also brings a lot to the table and works hard.”

Pickett was the only quarterback to be included in the first 73 of the draft. The Steelers also took on a quarterback with their last choice: Chris Oladokun of South Dakota in the seventh round.

“Obviously, since Kenny and I are newbies, I’m going to spend a lot of time with him,” Oladokun said during the OTAs. “We both said the day before that we were very lucky to be able to do it together, just finding new ways to learn and new ways to learn the game book. Kenny is good about it.

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