Steelers Sign 2019 Draft Pick, TE Zach Gentry

The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed their final Day Three draft pick, inking TE Zach Gentry to a four year deal, the team announced moments ago.

A tight end from Michigan, Gentry was taken in the 5th round of this year’s draft. A quarterback in high school, the Steelers believe there’s plenty of room to grow as a receiver and blocker.

“We don’t think we’re getting a finished product by any stretch,” Kevin Colbert said after the draft. “We’re getting a very good-sized, very athletic guy who can catch. He’s going to learn how to block and he’s going to learn to block a little differently because he’s 6’8. There’s a lot to work with.

Gentry averaged over 16 yards per catch each of the last two seasons for the Wolverines. He ran slow at the NFL Combine, turning in a 4.9 40, but Colbert said he dropped five pounds for his Pro Day and ran in the 4.7’s. He figures to be the #3 TE behind Vance McDonald and Xavier Grimble, though don’t discount the possibility of the team adding to the position during training camp.

According to estimates by Over the Cap ahead of this year’s draft, Gentry’s four-year contract that he signed on Thursday is expected to total out at around $2,864,460 and include a signing bonus of roughly $344,460. His 2019 salary cap charge is expected to be around $581,115, according to those estimated numbers.

The only two picks who remain unsigned are 1st rounder Devin Bush and 3rd rounder Justin Layne. But with the way the CBA is outlined and rookie contracts slotted, those two aren’t in any danger of being holdouts come training camp. Layne, at the least, should be signed in the near future. Three first round picks, TE TJ Hockenson (8th overall), S Darnell Savage (21st overall) and OT Kaleb McGary (31st overall) have already signed their rookie deals.