While not a Pittsburgh Steelers-specific topic, many fans have kept their pulse on the fallout of the John Harbaugh situation. After getting fired from the Ravens following a poor season, he was quick to find a new home in New York with the Giants.
Harbaugh just made his first addition to their roster, and Steelers fans can’t help but find humor in it.
It broke late last night that the Giants had signed the former third-round pick to a reserve deal. He gets added to a Giants defense that, if anything like Baltimore’s, may not have the best fit for a player like Leal.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers defender DeMarvin Leal may have a short run with John Harbaugh
Leal was a highly decorated prospect coming out of Texas A&M. An efficient, penetrating defensive lineman, he looked the part of a modern defender. That said, his size and best fit left the Steelers questioning what to do with him.
His rookie season saw him taking snaps everywhere, from defensive tackle to end and even as an edge rusher. Eventually, Pittsburgh settled him in as just an edge rusher, but that fit never felt right.
Leal needed to be in a 4-3 as a base defensive end and subpackage interior defender. He never felt like a natural edge rusher in space, and it showed.
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Instead, he is going to a defense that plays a similar style in New York. Looking over their roster, I’m not sure what his fit is on defense.
That isn’t to say Harbaugh can’t get the most out of him. I’d argue that he does better with unique defenders than Mike Tomlin did. We’ve seen Kyle Hamilton play all over the defense and find success in doing so. Meanwhile, Kyle Van Noy had a small career resurgence as a hybrid edge rusher for that defense.
Is Leal the next reclamation project? Time will tell. That said, Steelers fans don’t carry that many fond memories of the former Aggies defender due to his lackluster run with the team.
While actual big moves will be on the way for the New York Giants, their first addition under Harbaugh certainly won’t impress Pittsburgh Steelers fans. Leal never found the right fit in Pittsburgh, and time will tell if a new coaching staff can finally find a place for him in their puzzle.