Player: DL DeMarvin Leal
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: The Steelers continued to add to their defensive line with sixth-round selection Logan Lee. They further crowd the room for the likes of DeMarvin Leal by doing so, clouding his roster security. A 2022 third-round draft pick, Leal looks set to battle for a roster spot this year, now off of scholarship.
The Pittsburgh Steelers took a swing on talent in the third round with DE DeMarvin Leal in 2022. Two years into his career, however, by and large it looks like they missed. His athleticism hasn’t translated to much on-field success yet, and it’s looking like he’ll have to battle for his job.
For the 500th year in a row, the Steelers used another one of their draft picks on a defensive lineman. In this case, it is Logan Lee out of Iowa, who more neatly fits the prototype for Steelers linemen. Leal always felt more like a player they would have to mold into their style, or to use in diverse ways.
The Steelers did try to do different things with Leal, and perhaps the approach they take this summer. Maybe they plan to try to move him to outside linebacker on a full-time basis at this point. It may be his best shot of making the team as the fourth edge behind Nick Herbig.
Otherwise, he is looking to fend off a crowded group in the defensive line room. Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, and Larry Ogunjobi are set as your starters. The Steelers re-signed Montravius Adams as their fourth lineman, and added Dean Lowry in free agency.
That’s already five roster spots filled with either locks or soft locks, leaving at most two other spots. And you have more than two players to compete for them. To Leal you added Isaiahh Loudermilk, who actually played ahead of Leal at the end of last season. And then you throw in the rookie Logan Lee, whom they’ll likely give the benefit of the doubt.
Leal saw most of his playing time last season while Cameron Heyward missed time due to injury. He barely played at all once he returned. That tells you how much the Steelers thought about his performance filling in when they needed him. It’s why they re-signed Adams, added Lowry, and drafted Lee, in part. They know Leal hasn’t proven himself, but he’ll have to in 2024 if he wants to keep his roster spot.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
