The Pittsburgh Steelers have made their first, though certainly not their last, offseason addition to improve their defensive line. A unit that ended 2024 as one of the team’s weaknesses, the Steelers signed veteran Daniel Ekuale Sunday night. Starting 16 games for the New England Patriots, Ekuale, at 31 years old, doesn’t make the room younger. But does he make it better?
Let’s break down his run defense, pass rush, usage, and overall fit.
Daniel Ekuale’s Run Defense
Before diving into clips and the tape, here’s a summary on his run defense:
– Strong and stout at POA
– Uses length well and effective two-gapper to control the line of scrimmage
– Shows ability to stack and shed when he keys the ball
– Leverages well, good pad level and hand placement
– Strong side defender trusted to handle the run, created versatility to play up and down line with different alignments
– Lack of lateral quickness causes him to struggle against perimeter/outside runs
– Inconsistent burst off the line and prone to getting reached and cut-off
– Has trouble finding ball further it is to the edges
Ekuale is a big body and stout against interior runs. Coming out of Washington State in 2018, he looks heavier than the listed 299 pounds at his Pro Day (he also came in at just over 6’3). His length is below-average at 31 7/8-inches but he uses his levers well, demonstrating leverage and hand placement to control blocks and shed.
It leads him to being an effective two-gapper, falling back into his gap if needed while effectively spilling runs to the outside. A cut-up of examples. He is No. 95 in all these below clips.
Negatively, he is a tick late out of his stance and doesn’t have great explosion when asked to move laterally against zone schemes. Being tardy to fire off the ball makes him prone to getting reached on the backside of runs and he has trouble crashing down to eliminate cut-back lanes.
On the perimeter, Ekuale has more trouble getting to his spot and a lack of length hurts him keying the ball. Examples of that.
Daniel Ekuale’s Pass Rush
Again, a summary before the fuller breakdown with clips.
– Go-to move is swipe and displays active and effective hand usage to disengage from blocks
– Capable and asked to stunt/loop to contain on blitzes
– Given some sub-package snaps, though involvement waned later in season
– Smart pass rusher who doesn’t get out of gap or freelance, plays within structure
– Chases ball on screens/perimeter throws
– Tight-hipped rusher who struggles to corner and finish
– Club/swim moves fail to get past lineman, allowing them to recover
– Can play tall as a rusher and let linemen into his pads
– Bull isn’t terribly effective and loses steam throughout rush
– Loses balance too often even when he wins
Ekuale’s run defense is certainly better than his pass rusher. In six years, he has just six sacks and never more than two in a single season. In 16 starts and over 700 snaps last season, he had one sack.
The good news is Ekuale offers something as a rusher. There are flashes. His hands are active and his swipes are effective knocking down hands and getting past. Easily his best move.
He can stunt and contain on blitzes, too, and fits into a Steelers’ system that will ask him to do the same. It’s not remarkable but it’s the logistical aspect of the position that shows Ekuale fits.
I also like his effort and willingness to chase the ball on screens and quick perimeter throws.
But getting after the quarterback isn’t his game. He shows active hands but tight hips and struggles to consistently corner and finish. His swim moves can win initially but he can’t get the job done all the way through.
That lack of explosiveness renders his strength less effective and his bull didn’t collapse the pocket like you hoped it would. Often, his bull rushes would stall out mid-way through, opposing linemen able to reset and anchor.
Even when he wins, Ekuale can still lose. On this rep against the Los Angeles Chargers, he swims the right guard but can’t finish the play, losing his balance and going to the ground in what should’ve been a clear route to the quarterback.
Daniel Ekuale’s Usage
A career backup who bounced around before landing with the Patriots in 2021, Ekuale finally cracked the starting lineup in 2024 after recovering from a torn bicep in September of 2023, ending his season. Healthy, he bounced back with over 700 snaps this past year, finishing with 52 tackles and one sack.
In fact, his 722 snaps in 2024 were nearly as many as he registered his previous five seasons combined (921). In that sense, his 2024 tape was the first full chance for him to play and for us to evaluate his game.
As Dave Bryan shared, Ekuale primarily played as a 3/4/5 tech.
He largely aligned as a strong side end, sometimes even flipping sides in response to offensive motion. Watch him flip from RDE to LDE as the offense shifts its strength.
Ekuale can play on either side of the line of scrimmage and when used as a sub-package rusher early in the year, even aligned over center in the Patriots more exotic fronts.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Daniel Ekuale is a solid run defender with a bit of pass rush juice. His run defense is better than Isaiahh Loudermilk and possibly even Larry Ogunjobi’s, though they’re different styles (Ogunjobi more of a gap shooter, Ekuale a two-gapper).
Though Ekuale was a full-time starter a season ago, his best fit is as a top backup and rotational player in the Steelers’ 3-4 defense. He’s a veteran stop-gap as Pittsburgh looks to draft a defensive lineman early in next month’s draft. Even without yet knowing contract details (and his deal certainly won’t be substantial), this doesn’t change the team’s draft plans one bit.
But it provides a veteran option as the eventual rookie gets up to speed and if Ekuale has to open the year starting at LDE/LDT in the Steelers’ 3-4 and is a reserve sub-package rusher behind Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton, a rookie, and possibly even Montravius Adams, the Steelers’ defense will get on just fine in that regard.
Ekuale’s signing is a small but first step in getting stronger and better against the run.
