Standout Steelers rookie pass protector dealt disappointing injury update
10/14/2024 07:55 PM
During the Pittsburgh Steelers’ convincing 32-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, they lost rookie center Zach Frazier to an ankle injury, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. There is no structural damage to his knee. Upon first sight of the play in which he was injured, it didn’t look good.
Look at Zach Frazier's injury. #Steelerspic.twitter.com/X8MGMThSrB
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) October 13, 2024
Frazier has been a revelation for the Steelers in short time. The 2024 second-rounder out of West Virginia is graded fourth among eligible centers on PFF with an 82.2 grade. The interior offensive line has been a strength for the first time in years, and it’s reflected in Pittsburgh’s ability to run the ball and control the clock. While injuries may be mounting, the Steelers must remain loyal to their scheme and system.
The Steelers already lost OG James Daniels to an ACL tear in their Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Steelers getting it done old school with defense and a ground game
Pittsburgh is far from perfect. They’ve only scored more than 20 points in a game twice this year and only won once when doing so. But the fundamentals of football never change. The Steelers limit turnovers, play good defense and control the clock with a ground game. Their +7 turnover differential is tied for second-best in the league, only behind the Green Bay Packers’ +9.
Maintaining this level of play without Frazier won’t be easy. Ryan McCollum is the listed backup and he’ll need to step up in Frazier’s absence.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith had high praise right off the bat regarding Frazier, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
"Zach's played a lot of games at center," Arthur Smith said in August. "It's not the NFL, but he did it in the Power 5. I think he's a very mature guy. You're asking your centers to do a lot, but I would say of any rookie, he's probably the most prepped, and we thought that when we drafted him. Since he's been in this building, he's as advertised."
Frazier wasn’t even the starter coming into the season. That job belonged to Nate Herbig, who went out with a torn rotator cuff in mid-August.
The first two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft were offensive linemen OG Troy Fautanu and Frazier. They also used a fourth-rounder on OG Mason McCormick. Fautanu and McCormick will likely be tasked to step up with injuries piling up along the offensive line.
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