A Steelers Depot daily segment. A quick hit of some Pittsburgh Steelers-related stories that may not require a complete article, but nuggets worth mentioning and passing on to you guys.
Your Depot After Dark for April 27.
Baking With Beanie
When he’s not on the football field, Pittsburgh Steelers CB Beanie Bishop Jr. is in the kitchen. In a segment shared during LS Christian Kuntz’s draft day party, Bishop is an avid baker who whipped up a plate of cookies.
Check out the segment and live taste test below.
It looks like C Zach Frazier and ILB Payton Wilson also attended the party so hopefully we’ll have more clips from the event later this week.
Austin Heads Home
Calvin Austin was back in his hometown this weekend. A Memphis native who walked onto the Tigers’ football team, he returned for the school’s spring game. Speaking with Action News 5’s Griffin S. DeMarrais, Austin shared what Memphis means to him.
“Anytime I can come back and just talk to people and just be around, it’s always something I want to do,” Austin said.
Coming off his best NFL season yet, Austin will look to build upon his 2024 campaign. A free agent to-be, a strong year could lead to a sizeable payday in the offseason.
Biggest UDFA Deals
Though Pittsburgh’s undrafted free agent class is more impressive than usual, the Steelers still stuck to their guns of not paying premium prices for UDFAs. So who got the biggest checks? NFL reporter Aaron Wilson compiled a list of the largest deals known (so far).
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave Georgia State offensive lineman Benjamin Chukwuma $300,000 in the form of a partial base salary guarantee to circumvent the cap on signing bonuses teams can offer undrafted players. NC State offensive lineman Tim McKay received $275,000 while the Arizona Cardinals gave Ohio State OT Josh Fryar $269,000.
It’s no surprise the three-largest deals went to offensive linemen, more proof of the “tax” to pay the position no matter if it’s Day One of free agency or the undrafted pool. Every team needs offensive line help and a scarcity of talent drives up the price tag.
Pittsburgh’s largest signing bonus seems to have gone to South Alabama TE/FB DJ Thomas who received a $30,000 signing bonus.
