The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed their first-round pick, former Washington OT Troy Fautanu, to his rookie contract, the team announced Monday.
The Steelers selected Fautanu at No. 20 overall in April’s 2024 NFL Draft.
Officially official ✍️ pic.twitter.com/2LfkCeGumY
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) June 3, 2024
We have signed OT Troy Fautanu. @BordasLaw
📝: https://t.co/NGQZ0lGbcv pic.twitter.com/RxBzBe7YAJ
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) June 3, 2024
Fautanu’s four-year contract should total out to around $15,055,286, due to his draft position, per Over The Cap, and include a signing bonus of around $7,769,300. All four of those years should be fully guaranteed. Like all first-round picks since the 2011 CBA, he has a fifth-year option baked into his contract that the Steelers can choose to exercise following the 2026 season, which would keep him in Pittsburgh through 2028.
#Steelers first-round pick Troy Fautanu deal: $15.055 million guaranteed, including $7.769 million signing bonus, guaranteed roster training camp bonuses of $522,925, $1.095 million and $682,510 in 2025, 2026 and 2027
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) June 4, 2024
Fautanu was widely regarded as one of the top offensive linemen in the draft, but some teams viewed him as a guard due to his 6036 height. Some late reports about his long-term health due to a previous knee injury put him within range of falling into the Steelers’ lap. Immediately following the pick, GM Omar Khan told the media that he was their top-rated player regardless of position at No. 20. Mike Tomlin also said that the team views him as a tackle.
He grew up a fan of the team and wore Troy Polamalu’s No. 43 jersey in youth football when he thought he was going to be a skill-position player. He transitioned to focusing on the offensive line and ended up starting 29 games at left tackle for the University of Washington, which reached the National Championship game in 2023.
Troy Fautanu is highly athletic and knows how to use his 34.5-inch arms, which helps make up for his lack of height. He has a competitive edge that manifests itself in playing to the whistle and always looking for extra work throughout plays.
The last thing to figure out, now that the team has expressed its intent to keep him at tackle, is what side he will play on. Broderick Jones was drafted to play the left tackle but ended up starting 11 games on the right side last season. Fautanu started all 29 of his games in college on the left side but has the skill set that could translate nicely.
West Virginia center Zach Frazier, who was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, remains the lone unsigned Steelers’ draft pick.
