The Steelers’ offensive line has gone from question mark to one of the team’s biggest strengths, and Zach Frazier is right at the center of it.
Through nine weeks, Pittsburgh is averaging 117.9 rushing yards per game, one of the best marks in the league. That surge up front has helped turn the run game into a real weapon, and Frazier has been a major reason why the unit is finding its footing.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recognized that in his midseason All-Pro selections, naming Frazier to the first team. The Steelers center also owns a 79.5 overall PFF grade, which ranks first among centers this season. On top of that, he has posted the best run-blocking and pass-blocking grades of his career.
Barnwell also listed Frazier as a top contender for the Protector of the Year award.
“With Creed Humphrey’s problems snapping the football becoming more conspicuous, Frazier has emerged for me as the best center in football,” Barnwell said. “The Steelers have quietly fielded one of the league’s most efficient run games this season, and so much of that is what Frazier is able to do as the pivot.
Watch here, as he reaches and manhandles Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger to spring Jaylen Warren for a 24-yard gain. Frazier has also given up only one sack and four quick pressures all season, per NFL Next Gen Stats.”
For Frazier, this is the kind of recognition that matches the season he’s putting together. The 51st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is headed toward an extension this summer that should make him one of the highest-paid centers in the league, if not the highest-paid. He’s quickly becoming one of Pittsburgh’s foundational pieces, and now the rest of the league is catching up.
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The Steelers midseason rookie discussion has centered less on splash plays and more on who has helped steady the operation through the first half of the season. In a staff vote that included candidates from both sides of the ball, the focus landed on impact, and that naturally put the offensive line into the conversation because of how much value the team places on stability up front.
Max Iheanachor emerged as the biggest factor in that evaluation, with his work at tackle drawing the strongest support from the staff. Germie Bernard and Robert Spears-Jennings also drew recognition for their contributions, giving the vote a broader feel than a simple offense-versus-defense argument, but the debate ultimately reflected how much the Steelers have leaned on rookies who have made the offense and defense more dependable. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Are Taking A Big Risk With Two Weak Spots
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Steelers Suddenly Have A Familiar Chance To Help Their Passing Game
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Pittsburgh has been in this spot before, and the front office has shown it is willing to look for midseason help when the right fit appears. Browns availability gives the Steelers another path to bolster their wide receiver room, and the question now is whether they will act quickly enough to turn a waiver-wire opening into a real boost for the offense. [Read more 🡒]