Daniel Ekuale may not be a household name, but he is the Steelers’ newest defensive lineman. Perhaps they hoped to make a bigger splash in free agency, yet both sides are excited about the pairing, regardless. Signed to a pretty modest contract, he brings depth and experience to the group.
“It was not a question at all, me signing with the Steelers”, Ekuale told Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Knowing the scheme that I had with the Patriots, the defense we ran over there, it fits right in with the profile that the Steelers run, the way the d-line plays”.
A former college free agent out of Washington State, the native Samoan is now 31 and has been in the NFL for seven years. Prior to signing with the Steelers, Daniel Ekuale saw his most extensive playing time just last season. With the New England Patriots, he logged 722 snaps, accounting for almost half of his career workload.
It’s worth noting that Ekuale is familiar with the Steelers and the AFC North, having spent time with the Browns previously. But he had been with the Patriots since 2021, ascending to a starting role a year ago. I don’t suspect the Steelers envision him in that role here, at least outside of an emergency situation.
But they do like him. Steelers HC Mike Tomlin raved about Ekuale last week, saying that he “really plays blocks and recognizes run schemes extremely well”. He added, “I expect him to be an anchor point for us in that regard, to control the line of scrimmage — particularly in run-down circumstances. And I think his resume really kind of reflects that”.
This offseason, prior to signing Daniel Ekuale, the Steelers released starter Larry Ogunjobi. They had been paying him for three years while not living up to his contract, so it wasn’t a surprising move, but most anticipated a more reciprocal signing. They had been paying Ogunjobi about three times Ekuale’s contract.
The Steelers still have Cameron Heyward along the defensive line, and he was a first-team All-Pro last season, but the question there is, as always, his age. They hope that 2023 second-round pick Keeanu Benton breaks out this season, but they still need another lineman. And they need someone both for the present and the future. Ekuale is obviously not someone long for the Steelers’ future.
But he could be a solid addition for the present, especially if they don’t have to press him into spot-starting duty. Ideally, this won’t be another Cam Thomas situation. The Steelers may be pinning their hopes on a first-round defensive lineman, though, especially considering they don’t have a second-round pick. If they don’t take one early, that makes Daniel Ekuale all the more important.
