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And then there were three.
In other words, there are only three members of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2017 NFL Draft class yet to be signed to their rookie contracts. This all happened after the team came to terms on a 4-year rookie contract with former USC wide receiver, and second round pick, JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Steelers also sign 2nd-round draft pick, WR Juju Smith-Schuster to 4-year contract
— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) May 17, 2017
With the news of Smith-Schuster signing his first professional contract, it leaves only the following players unsigned:
Round:
1. OLB - T.J. Watt - Unsigned
2. WR - Juju Smith-Schuster - Signed to 4-year contract
3. CB - Cameron Sutton - Unsigned
3. RB - James Conner - Signed to 4-year contract
4. QB - Joshua Dobbs - Unsigned
5. CB - Brian Allen - Signed to 4 year contract
6. LS - Colin Holba - Signed to 4-year contract
7. OLB - Keion Adams - Signed to 4-year contract
There is far less celebration about a team signing a rookie since the new Collective Bargaining Agreement went into effect around the league. Now, depending on which round the team drafted a player, the contract is slotted for a specific price.
The only thing which could hold back a player from signing a deal could be incentives or a signing bonus. This is largely why the Steelers have signed their picks from the back end of the draft to the front, where there is less negotiating about specific stipulations.
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In other news, the team released Mel Blount’s son, linebacker Akil Blount, from their 90-man offseason roster.
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Stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news on the Steelers draft picks, their contract status and the team’s upcoming OTAs.