The Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason saw the team overhaul their defensive line room. They added numerous low-level backup options to bolster their depth while also investing two draft picks in additional help at defensive line.
The focus of the group is, understandably, on rookie Derrick Harmon and what his role can be as a rookie. In terms of free agents, veteran Daniel Ekuale brings it as a run defender and a good rotational defender. After that, you have a slew of middling and unknown options like Isaiahh Loudermilk, Logan Lee, and Dean Lowry.
It seems like almost everyone, including the Steelers, has forgotten about veteran signing Esezi Otomewo.
A former fifth-round pick, Otomewo looks the part of a Steelers defensive end. His build is almost perfect, 6’5, 285 pounds with 34.5-inch arms, but beyond that, he hasn’t been a notable player in the league.
The Pittsburgh Steelers may have already moved on from Esezi Otomewo
The defensive line depth chart will likely have to bring it during training camp. While we have three starters set in stone, the rest of the room is up for grabs.
Ekuale is the next safest given his contract, and one has to imagine that rookie Yahya Black is on the short list for the backup nose tackle role, but neither of those is a given. Loudermilk has the most experience in Pittsburgh, while Lee flashed as a rookie last year.
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All said, you will need to be noticeable as a defender if you want to make this team. To this point in his career, Otomewo has been anything but noticeable.
He has played in nine career games to this point in his career, with only a half sack to his name. His run defense isn’t strong, and his pass rush has been lackluster. As an actual defender, he doesn’t give you more than some of the other names that he is competing with.
His lone path to making the roster could come on special teams. He has played extensively there in his career and was serving on kickoff units last year, given the rules change. Like his defensive snaps, his play there wasn’t exceptional, but if he can put it more together there, that could be enough to get him on the roster.
Until he proves that on the field, though, there is little to no reason to think he cracks this team. It feels like the Steelers took a shot on him because of his measurables, but he needs to prove that he can take the necessary steps forward to stick around. As it stands, it doesn’t look like Otomewo has a great shot at making the team.