Player: DL Logan Lee
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: After spending his rookie season on IR, Logan Lee is now on the Steelers’ 53-man roster as one of eight DL. How long he will stay there is really anybody’s guess, as they clearly don’t need that many. Presumably, they will part with one once Derrick Harmon is healthy, if they need a roster spot. Perhaps when Cory Trice Jr. returns, but for now, Lee is on the roster—even if he isn’t likely to dress.
Under Omar Khan, the Steelers have placed more of a premium than ever on keeping their draft picks. Across three drafts, they have retained to this day every one of them who is healthy. The only exception is Ryan Watts, who had to retire due to injury. But from Carson Bruener to Logan Lee to Cory Trice Jr., they have not only drafted well late in the draft but prioritized retaining and ideally developing their end-of-roster contributors.
A sixth-round pick out of Iowa in 2024, Logan Lee is not alone. The Steelers drafted his Hawkeye teammate Yahya Black this year in the fifth round. With first-rounder Derrick Harmon ailing, Black should see a big role early in the season.
Don’t expect Lee to play much or, likely, even dress. The Steelers have eight defensive linemen, and they can dress as few as five. Harmon will begin the year as one inactive, but Lee is likely to be another. The Steelers retained Isaiahh Loudermilk, and I’m sure they plan to dress him. They also carried another veteran in Esezi Otomewo.
The decision to carry Logan Lee, to me, felt more like protecting a player than planning for him to contribute. I wouldn’t be surprised if they waived him at some point during the year with the hopes of moving him to the practice squad. He has potential, but he still needs to develop based on his preseason play. Honestly, he looked better at long snapper.
With regular season on the way and the roster in place, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
After a long offseason, we finally know what this Steelers team will look like for the 2025 season. The dust is long settled on both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft, and now we’re into the real thing. What final moves might the team make, if any? They’ve certainly made a flurry of moves, though some question whether they make much difference. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
