The Pittsburgh Steelers are most of the way through the first part of the offseason leading to the draft. Before we get there, we’re going to take stock of how the roster has evolved over the past several weeks. Position by position, we’ll break down who’s coming and going and what’s next, for those rookies and those already here.
Position: Defensive End
Total Positional Figure: 6
Offseason Additions: 1
Offseason Deletions: 2
Players Retained:
Cameron Heyward: Heyward suffered a serious injury in the opener that haunted him all season. It caused him to miss a number of games, and he struggled through after returning. Nearing the end of his career, many fans now wish he would retire, not counting on his ability to return to form. He comes with a rather large cap hit that, as yet, the Steelers haven’t felt compelled to trim.
Larry Ogunjobi: Now in his third season with Pittsburgh and the second of a three-year contract, Larry Ogunjobi is facing criticism. He’s not really giving the Steelers their money’s worth for what they’ve been paying him. In terms of his play, he’s providing serviceable work, but the value isn’t there, meaning there’s a good chance he doesn’t see the last year of that deal in 2025.
Isaiahh Loudermilk: The Steelers drafted Loudermilk in the fifth round in 2021. The expectations were never sky-high, but they liked him, and they know his profile is getting scarce. He’s only shown marginal growth over his three seasons and is always on the roster bubble. But he played over the player below at the end of last season.
DeMarvin Leal: A former third-round draft pick, Leal disappointed in his second season in 2023. He didn’t step up to the level expected when the team needed him during Heyward’s absence. After Heyward returned, he played very little, for good reason.
Jacob Slade: A 2023 undrafted rookie, the Steelers only signed him as a futures player at the end of the season. We don’t know for sure if they see him as an end or a tackle, but my guess is end.
Players Added:
Dean Lowry: One of a handful of defensive free agent additions, Lowry brings veteran experience. A former starter, he is closer to the end of his career than to the beginning. However, he provides better depth than Leal and Loudermilk, a key shortfall from a year ago.
Players Deleted:
Armon Watts: The Steelers presumably showed some interest in retaining Watts, who signed on a cheap deal last year. However, in his own words, the New England Patriots wanted him more. He signed a $3 million contract, more than Pittsburgh would have considered offering.
Renell Wren: A former Bengal, Wren suffered a season-ending injury last offseason. He spent time on the practice squad in 2022 but never got a chance to compete last year. He remains unsigned after reaching free agency.
Notes And Draft Outlook:
Sooner or later, perhaps sooner rather than later, the Steelers need to find Cameron Heyward’s replacement. The scary part is they’re probably going to need Larry Ogunjobi’s replacement around the same time as well. At least that’s a distinct possibility.
In other words, the Steelers must be open to addressing this position in the early rounds of the draft. I don’t know that they need to add another depth piece unless they see major upside in him. But if the best player available in the second round is a defensive end, they may well take him.
