Today was the last practice for the Pittsburgh Steelers before they get a break for a day, and with that came more physicality. Players and coaches have emphasized that they want the entire team to be extremely physical this year. Practice today showed that once again, with goal-line drills being a focus. Those sessions can be intense, like a fistfight in a phone booth, but they can also provide a great experience. In his press conference after practice, Tomlin seemed impressed with the way some young players stepped up.
In a video via the team’s website, Tomlin was asked if anything jumped out to him from that goal-line period.
“I thought we had some young defenders really stand up,” Tomlin said. “I had some guys out of the drill like Larry Ogunjobi and [Keeanu] Benton, so we had guys like [Isaiahh] Loudermilk and others, Logan Lee, stepping up in class and getting an opportunity to pit their skills against more established guys.
“It’s always good when guys get an opportunity to do that, and to have some success. I thought some of those defensive linemen up front really represented themselves well.”
That is a positive development from Tomlin on the younger linemen, especially Loudermilk. At the moment, Ogunjobi, Benton, and Cam Heyward should be the starters along the defensive line, but the team needs more depth. When Heyward went down last season with an injury, the Steelers run defense suffered massively. He might be feeling healthy now, but he’s not getting any younger.
Similarly, Ogunjobi has dealt with lingering injuries in the past and just turned 30. Benton should take a step forward this year, but having a greater influx of youth along the defensive line would benefit the Steelers greatly.
Loudermilk hasn’t done much since the Steelers drafted him in 2021, and his time in Pittsburgh could have been in jeopardy depending on how he performed in camp this year. However, if he continues to impress Tomlin in high-stress scenarios like the goal-line drill, he may find himself staying with the Steelers.
Lee was drafted in the sixth round of this past year’s draft and may be on the fringe of the team’s final roster. However, even if he doesn’t make the final cut, showing flashes in camp could lead to him being on the team’s practice squad. For a player taken so late in the draft, that’s a common path to eventually making the roster.
It remains to be seen how the rest of the defensive line group shakes out, but there is an opportunity for a young guy to step up. DeMarvin Leal has also enjoyed a nice camp and can play outside linebacker in a pinch, so he may have a step up on the other guys. Getting Tomlin’s attention during goal-line drills is one way to stand out, though. That group will eventually separate themselves, and it will be a fascinating process to watch.
