With the 2024 season now wrapped up for the Pittsburgh Steelers, there’s quite an eventful offseason in front of us. The coaching carousel, which could involve some Steelers coaches, free agency, and the draft will all be wrapped up in the next few months. For now, as the NFL word waits for the playoffs to finish, it’s time to look back at the 2024 season as a whole, including two rookies who stood out for the Black and Gold, Zach Frazier and Payton Wilson.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Ben Solak released his 2024 All-Rookie Team. Solak had high praise for Frazier especially, who landed on his first team.
“Zach Frazier is exactly what teams want at the pivot,” Solak wrote. “He identifies defenses well, looks for work in pass protection and has quick hands and feet.”
Nate Herbig, the projected starter at center to begin the year, tore his rotator cuff before the regular season began. That forced Frazier into a much more prominent role than he would have expected. The rookie started 15 games this year, and didn’t disappoint.
Pro Football Focus gives Frazier an overall grade of 76.8, the sixth highest of all qualified players at his position. For a rookie, Frazier seemed to have a well-rounded game. Frazier’s 66.6 run-blocking grade is the 22nd-highest at his position, but his 79.7 run-blocking grade was sixth-highest.
Solak also wrote about Frazier’s fit with the Steelers down the road.
“Frazier is also a relentless finisher and a high-effort player, which is a prerequisite for playing offensive line in Pittsburgh and a great sign for his future as the leader of that line,” Solak wrote. “He had more successful reps against the Ravens’ nasty defensive tackle room than any other center this season.”
Frazier had a great rookie season, but he wasn’t the only rookie in Pittsburgh that caught Solak’s eye. Linebacker Payton Wilson earned second-team honors on Solak’s list, behind Omar Speights of the Los Angeles Rams.
Wilson had a smaller role than Frazier, only playing 45-percent of the Steelers’ defensive snaps. Still, he managed to make an impact. Wilson had a sensational first interception in the Steelers only win against the Baltimore Ravens this year. He also recorded two passes defended, and a forced fumble.
In a year which ended in disappointing fashion, it’s nice to acknowledge the positives as well. While the Steelers may undergo quite a bit of change in the next couple of seasons, expect Frazier and Wilson to be building blocks for years to come.
