The Pittsburgh Steelers are parting ways with 2022 third-round DL DeMarvin Leal, per Jeremy Fowler on X. His size and athleticism gave him immense potential, but he never got close to realizing it in Pittsburgh.
Leal never quite found a true position in Pittsburgh. Coming in as a classic tweener—too big for the edge and too small to play inside—the Steelers experimented playing him at both. Most recently, he was being used as an edge defender since last season. He added weight ahead of training camp this year and finally looked the part of a defensive lineman, but the team kept him at outside linebacker.
Making the roster there was always going to be an uphill battle for Leal with Jack Sawyer getting drafted in the fourth round. This news may also serve as good news for Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, both of whom dealt with injuries this preseason. Highsmith already said he will play Week 1 while Herbig’s status is more up in the air.
Leal showed promise last year during training camp but suffered a season-ending neck injury early in the season and largely disappointed in camp this year.
He played more than almost anybody on the team this preseason. He stood out in the final game against the Carolina Panthers, but not always in a good way. He lined up offsides once and had a bad facemask penalty.
Appearing in 28 games with six starts during his three seasons with the Steelers, Leal has 33 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, four passes defensed, and three QB hits in his career.
Leal’s release will carry a $238,072 dead money charge this season.
The Steelers’ 2022 draft class, the final one of Kevin Colbert’s tenure as general manager, is quickly evaporating from the roster. Kenny Pickett is now on his fourth team in four years, George Pickens was traded, and Leal is set to become a free agent.
Calvin Austin III and Connor Heyward are the last two players remaining from that draft class, and neither has an assured future with the team. It could end up being another lost draft class in a long line of them at the end of Colbert’s tenure.
Leal will likely get an opportunity elsewhere as a young and highly athletic player. Maybe a fresh start and a clear position is all he will need to find some success in the league.
