Starting a new short series here at Steelers Depot where we rank the Steelers’ top 10 players on the roster age 25 and under to open the 2024 regular season. This will be a three-part series where we list three to four players in each edition, highlighting their accolades to this point as well as what their respective outlook is in 2024 and beyond. Today, I will be starting with players ranked 7-10 on the list.
No. 10: TE Darnell Washington (Age 22, Turns 23 in mid-August)
Deciding who to leave off the list was difficult for several reasons. Guys like WR Calvin Austin III and DL DeMarvin Leal are role players with a specific niche, but both have underwhelmed thus far relative to expectations. Leal got phased out of the lineup entirely near the end of the season while Austin has yet to make himself into a full-time player after posting 17 receptions for 180 yards and a touchdown last season after missing his entire rookie campaign due to a foot injury. Rookies like WR Roman Wilson and LB Payton Wilson present a lot of intrigue, but both have yet to prove their impact at the NFL level. Roman Wilson will have to prove to be more than a slot-only receiver while Payton Wilson will likely open up behind LBs Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts on the depth chart.
That’s where we come to the first player on the list: Darnell Washington. Washington vastly underwhelmed as a rookie last season, catching only one pass for seven yards. However, the hulking 6-7, 264-pound tight end did see 48% of the Steelers’ offensive snaps (511) with seven starts in 17 games played, contributing as a strong in-line blocker to make up for TE Pat Freiermith’s lack of blocking prowess. He can still improve his consistency as a run blocker and needs to be more impactful as a pass catcher, but Washington is the fourth-youngest Steeler on the roster, suggesting there is still room for growth. He may never be a fluid receiver who racks up the stats, but with new blood at the quarterback position and Pittsburgh’s emphasis on beefing up the offensive line, Washington should see plenty of playing time in Year 2 to display his strengths as a blocker while increasing his usage in the passing game.
No. 9: C Zach Frazier (Age 22, Turns 23 in late August)
I debated about putting LB Nick Herbig here based on his role as a backup outside linebacker compared to Frazier being a locked-in starter at center heading into the 2024 season. Ultimately, I had a tough time overlooking Herbig’s per snap impact in 2023 and likely increased role as a rotational pass rusher in regard to Frazier, who has yet to take an NFL snap. Frazier was one of the top three centers in the draft class, falling into the Steelers’ lap at No. 51 overall in the second round after they took Washington OT Troy Fautanu (he’ll show up later on this list). In both, they landed two new future starters along their offensive line.
The Steelers had a glaring hole at center and managed to fill it with Frazier. He played an absurd number of snaps at West Virginia, showing off his wrestling background as a stout run blocker and reliable pass protector. Frazier doesn’t possess high-end athleticism, but he is a dependable presence up front who projects to be a longtime starter in the league. A year from now, Frazier may rank higher on this list. For now, he slots just inside the top 10.
No. 8 LB Nick Herbig (Age: 22, Turns 23 in November)
Finding the right spot to place Herbig on this list was difficult for several reasons. First, Herbig has proven to be super productive when given the opportunity, racking up 27 total tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 191 defensive snaps last season. Those are crazy numbers on a per-snap basis, and his role figures only to increase in Year 2 as Pittsburgh has yet to bring back OLB Markus Golden or sign any other outside linebacker of substance. However, Herbig is the clear backup to OLBs T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, who both play a large percentage of the snaps on defense. Herbig will likely see his defensive snaps increase this season from the 17 percent he played as a rookie, but his upside remains capped barring an unfortunate injury to one of Pittsburgh’s locked-in starters.
No. 7 QB Justin Fields (Age 25)
Possibly the biggest wild card on this list is a player who isn’t projected to open the 2024 regular season…and may not start a single game this year. The Steelers managed to trade for QB Justin Fields this offseason after dealing QB Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles, sending the Chicago Bears a 2025 conditional sixth round pick for the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Fields’ tenure in Chicago didn’t go according to plan for both the Bears and Fields. The former Ohio State Buckeye went only 10-28 as the team’s starter, looking lost at times when it came to anticipating throws and making bad decisions that led to turnovers. However, Fields wasn’t in the best situation in Chicago with a questionable supporting cast around him. He still managed to show flashes of brilliance that had teams believing he could be a franchise quarterback, showcasing his arm as well as his legs. He rushed for 2,220 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first three NFL seasons, including 1,143 yards and eight scores in 2022, the second-most all-time in a single season by a quarterback.
Fields is projected to be the backup to QB Russell Wilson to open the season and recently had his fifth-year option declined, meaning he could be out of Pittsburgh as soon as 2025 free agency. Still, Fields has plenty of potential and upside age at just 25 years old (nearly a year younger than Pickett). Should he get an opportunity to lead Pittsburgh’s offense, he could be that lottery ticket at quarterback the Steelers are looking for as they search for their next long-term starter.
