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Steelers sign first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett

The Steelers have now signed all seven members of their 2022 draft class.

NFL: MAY 25 Pittsburgh Steelers OTA Offseason Workouts Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers have finished up Phase 3 of offseason workouts with mandatory minicamp and players are scattered to various places before heading to Latrobe in July. After everyone went their various ways, the Steelers have continued to conduct business first by announcing the five-year contract with Minkah Fitzpatrick and then adding Larry Ogunjobi to the roster. Taking care of another important item prior to training camp, the Steelers have now reportedly signed first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett. This per ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

Taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 20th overall selection of the 2022 NFL Draft, Kenny Pickett opted to go back to college for a fifth year rather than enter the 2021 draft. Appearing in 52 games at the University of Pittsburgh, Picket threw for over 12,000 yards and 81 touchdowns in his college career. In his final season where he led the Panthers to an ACC title, Pickett completed 330 of 497 passes for a 67.2 completion percentage with 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns to seven interceptions. Pickett also added 20 rushing touchdowns in his career, five of which came in his last season. Pickett’s outstanding final year with the Panthers landed him third place in the Heisman voting.

With the signing of Pickett, all players from the Steelers 2022 NFL draft class are now under contract. He was the final pick from the first round of the 2022 draft to sign, and is the first of the five quarterbacks taken in the first four rounds to agree to their deal.

Although exact financials of Kenny Pickett’s contract have not been announced at this time, it is the typical four-year rookie contract with the fifth-year option that comes with being taken in the first round. According to overthecap.com and their estimations based on the rookie pool and a player’s exact draft location, Pickett is estimated to have a 2022 salary cap hit under $2.9 million.

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