Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2022 season is over, the team finishing above .500 but failing to make the postseason, we turn our attention to the offseason and everything that means. One thing that it means is that some stock evaluations are going to start taking on broader contexts, reflecting on a player’s development, either positively or negatively, over the course of the season. Other evaluations will reflect only one immediate event or trend. The nature of the evaluation, whether short-term or long-term, will be noted in the reasoning section below.
Player: DL Isaiahh Loudermilk
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: Since the last time we discussed third-year defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk in this series, the Steelers added yet another high-pedigreed player to his room. It is becoming increasingly difficult to see him maintain his position on the team due to the depth, though he is coming in this offseason motivated and healthier than he was entering the 2022 season.
Although we have already discussed the difficulties ahead this offseason for third-year Wisconsin Badger Isaiahh Loudermilk, it has been a while. Our last update in this column came before the draft, and even if it was anticipated the Steelers would add to the defensive line room, it wasn’t a given that it would be with such a robust move.
Pittsburgh used the 49th-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, in fact, to select one of Loudermilk’s college teammates, Keeanu Benton, whose presence will make it all the more difficult for them to remain as teammates at the next level.
Loudermilk, a 2021 fifth-round draft pick, had some modest success in rather limited work as a rookie. An injury in training camp last year set him back, allowing 2022 third-round pick DeMarvin Leal to pass him up on the depth chart.
While he may be over that injury and highly motivated to get back on track, the reality is that the road has gotten more difficult. Not only did the Steelers add Benton via the draft this offseason, they also signed veterans Breiden Fehoko and Armon Watts, both of whom are experienced and fit the system.
Neither are guaranteed roster spots, however, so the former draft pick has more than a fighting chance to stake his claim to one. Still, with Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Leal, and Benton firmly ahead of him, the positions up for grabs are limited.
It’s possible that Pittsburgh may keep seven rather than six defensive linemen, but even if they do, they also have Montravius Adams in addition to Fehoko and Watts, among others, to choose from. Which could result in Loudermilk being left on the outside looking in. Even if so, however, he would be a prime candidate for the practice squad.
