The Zach Frazier Appreciation Thread!!

Think it is fair to say that, among the Offensive Pieces on the team, Zach Frazier has been exceeding the expectations of many. That isn't to say he possesses more value than say, the likes of George Pickens or Pat Freiermuth. However, I will proudly be in the minority in stating that Frazier is easily one of the best Offensive Players on the team... by far.


Yes, Justin Fields is steadily rising and the Offensive Line is getting more contributions from the likes of Dan Moore along with a bounce back from Broderick Jones. Even so, I doubt many of these aforementioned actions, much less the improvement of the Offense as a whole, would be possible without the star pivot in the Center. Not convinced?!


This video below sheds some light on it a bit...







In short?! Omar Khan has had now two successful drafts thus far. For my money though, even with the ascendence of Joey Porter Jr and even Nick Herbig.... Zach Frazier just may prove to be the biggest catch of them all.

 

He’s a beast but Herbig is making a big name for himself and Pickens is quietly impressing me as well therefore I’m going to abstain from a vote on this. They are all equally getting better every week.

 

I voted yes because he has come out of the gate very strong and will only get better (presumably). I also agree with the point that JPJ and Herbig have some real potential to be great players as well.

I am hopeful because the last two drafts also have good potential in Benton, Jones, Fautanu, Wilson (Payton). There may even be another one or two beyond those.

 

I love watching me some Zach Frazier highlights...aka the Morgantown Mauler! Brian Baldinger's highlight videos on Frazier always get me excited. Herbig looks so quick off the edge and is going to be giving OT nightmares and is mini TJ Watt. JPJ has been solid in coverage last year and this year but what has stood out most and its been noted in another thread is his tackling is soooo much better. He is aggressive and taking great angles and he is taking on that hard nose Steeler's defense mentality. Its a 180 degrees from last year.

 

Fair enough!!

 

Our next Franchise Center has arrived. Its all about the trenches where the party starts.

 

Pickens was a Colbert pick but you are right,this is hard to answer to this question right now!

 

I tend to be more measured in my responses and I think Porter, Herbig, and Benton are also excellent selections, but I voted yes. Frazier is already outstanding. More importantly, he filled the team's biggest need going into the draft, a position that had been a huge problem even going back to Pouncey's final season or two. I am trying to hold back my enthusiasm, but Frazier at least has the potential to be a worthy successor to the Steelers' great tradition at center.

 

Center and Punter, two positions a casual NFL fan rarely thinks about but IMO they are hugely important. Every single offensive play the center touches the ball knowing some big ass D guy is coming at him. Field position is huge in NFL games. Great Punter makes opposition have to go a long way for a score.

 

What I see about Frazier is that he isn't satisfied with just keeping his guy from making the tackle, he slams his guy to the ground and then goes down field to plant someone else.

 

Yup. I love that about him.

Mason Cole was a big part of the problem last season. His shotgun snaps were all over the place, which was a distraction for the quarterback on far too many plays. He also often found himself shoved back into his quarterback. Frazier is a massive upgrade.

 

and yet - Tomlin would have him sitting, if it were not for a pre-season injury......hmmmmm

 

I wonder about that too. Did Tomlin give Herbig the first pre-season start as just a tip of the hat because he was a veteran? Or did he actually think that Herbig was the better center?

 

we will NEVER know.

But I was frustrated then. Knowing Tomlin and his DISTRUST of younger players, I bet he would have stuck w Herbig until it was too late.

It is part of why Najee is injured.

RUNNING him into the ground early this season! PLAY the other RB's!

 

Exactly the kind of guy you want on your team

 

I think that this is a case of a rising tide lifting all boats. We are starting to see the beginnings of a dominant team. We have some superstars for sure, but surrounding them with other good and great players makes everyone better.

Remember the bellicheck strategy of shutting down your best player? That doesn't work so well when someone else steps into the gap and I think that is what we are seeing now.

On the defensive side, I think that we're there now. We're seeing TJ Watt get double teamed continuously on the defensive side, which just opens it up for 3 or 4 other guys who are damn near as good as TJ.

On the offensive side, I think that we might just be a high talent wide receiver away from being dominant there too. If we have two wide receiver threats, our passing game will take a huge boost upward and that's going to translate into a better running game. On the o line, we're getting to the point where there are no real weak points.

The future is so bright that I have to wear shades.....

 

Who really knows? I think you start your best players, I don't care if he's a rookie or a seasoned veteran

 

Maybe. We never got to see what Tomlin would have done after Herbig struggled and Frazier played well in the first preseason game.

 

I doubt Herbig would be starting if he didn't get injured, it's obvious who's the better center.

 

I agree with this - I think there are some who would plug rookies into a starting role at the beginning of camp, just because they looked good in shorts.

I’m fine with letting rookies work through camp and pre-season to prove they deserve the starting position. Now, if we start the regular season and a young player is better, and is still on the bench, then that is an issue with coaching.

 

Hope he stays healthy

 

I think Herbig would been our LG to start the season if he would been healthy

 

I'm sure that is the case. I bet the running game would have been significantly better so far this season with him in there, too.