The Trib has a recent piece on Steelers first-rounder Cameron Heyward who, like all drafted rookies, is going to have a tough time acclimating to the NFL given the short period of time before preseason games start.
"I want to get out there as soon as possible, learn the defense and get to know the guys," said Heyward, the 31st overall pick. "I'm going to take advantage of every opportunity I get."
Steelers Depot has a good post on what sorts of salaries the Steelers' 2011 draft picks can expect. In any case, we shouldn't expect protracted periods of haggling, since players should be anxious to get going.
Steelers fans shouldn't expect much from the team's draft picks this year. For one thing, Heyward currently has Brett Keisel, Aaron Smith and Ziggy Hood ahead of him on the depth chart. The idea is for Hood and Heyward to gradually take over for Keisel and Smith. Third- and fourth-round picks Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen are cornerbacks, and the Steelers badly need those, but I wouldn't expect those players to make an impact right away. I would expect the learning curve to be very steep for the new Steelers in training camp this year, but they weren't necessarily expected to hit the ground running anyway.