2022 NFL Draft: Contract details released for Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers

Former Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett is set to sign a fully guaranteed four-year, $14 million contract with the Steelers after being selected No. 20 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. The deal comes with a $7.4 million signing bonus and a fifth-year option for 2026, according to Spotrac.

In five seasons with the Panthers, Pickett appeared in 52 games, throwing for 12,303 yards with 81 touchdowns and 32 interceptions while completing 62.4 percent of his passes before electing to enter the 2022 NFL Draft. Although not considered a major running threat, he also added 809 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.

Pickett had the season of his life in 2021, finishing as a Heisman Trophy finalist while completing 334 of his 497 passes for 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns and just seven interceptions while completing 67.3 percent of his passes. Prior to last season, Pickett has never thrown more than 13 touchdowns in a season in his first three years as the starter with the Panthers before exploding onto the national scene over the last eight months.

A former three-star recruit in the class of 2017, he was the No. 811 overall player in the nation per the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. The Oakhurst, New Jersey native also ranked as the No. 48 quarterback and No. 19 player in his home state after playing at Ocean Township High School.

Pickett will now battle current Steelers quarterbacks Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph following the retirement of longtime franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after last season’s wild card playoff loss. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin isn’t ruling out having Pickett start the first game of the season, though that will be predicated on his offseason camp performance.

“Yeah he certainly has a chance … We felt he came ready and hopefully that’s an asset to him being ready — if performance dictates,” Tomlin said during the NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon.

Pittsburgh has had immense success with their past two first-round draft picks. Chase Claypool was drafted in 2020 and is already No. 1 option at wide receiver for the Steelers. That pick was followed up by Najee Harris last season, who looks to be one of the most promising young running backs in the league after his rookie season. Pickett will look to capture some of that magic as well with immediate success on Sundays.