Teams across the NFL are making final adjustments to their 53-man rosters and practice squads, and plenty of notable names have changed hands. The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't made any outside additions to either their main roster or practice squad, but there is a notable name missing from both.
Edge rusher Eku Leota had a strong summer in Pittsburgh, and it seemed like a forgone conclusion that he would end up on the Steelers' practice squad following cut-down day. So far, however, he is still on the open market after being released by the team.
With Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith nursing soft tissue injuries, the only Steelers edge rushers with a clean bill of health are T.J. Watt and rookie Jack Sawyer. While I expect one or both will be ready for Week 1, having only DeMarvin Leal and Julius Welschof as emergency options on the practice squad is less than ideal.
Pittsburgh Steelers may regret letting Eku Leota walk completely
The Steelers should technically still have one practice squad spot open for 2025, thanks to Welschof counting as an International Pathway player. That spot could go to Leota, but it's possible that a different veteran is brought in to fill that spot.
Leota looked explosive at times in the preseason for Pittsburgh, often outshining Jack Sawyer despite being a former undrafted free agent. Leota also familiarity with the defense after spending most of 2024 on the practice squad for the Steelers.
The Steelers' disinterest in carrying more than four true edge rushers has been a pain point for many fans over the years, but doing so is often a non-issue if they can stash depth on the practice squad.
It's possible that both Leal and Welschof impressed the Steelers enough to be counted on as the first players to get the call-up to the active roster. Neither is as explosive as Leota, however, and Leal, in particular, has struggled with injuries throughout his first three seasons.
If any of the Steelers' top three edge rushers were to miss time, none of these guys (Leota included) is going to be able to offer even half of the production that would be lost. That being said, not having someone with real juice waiting in the wings could be a mistake.