Sportsnaut
Despite being in first place of the AFC North, the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t feel the need to make more adjustments before the NFL trade deadline passed. Possibly because the Steelers already made several roster changes in the weeks leading up to the deadline, including trading for safety Kyle Dugger.
Yet, on Thursday, the Steelers still had one more roster change to make.
According to the Steelers, they have released defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal from the roster. The Steelers made Leal the 84th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, feeling like a third-round pick was a wise investment in the 6-foot-4, 290-pound lineman out of Texas A&M.
Unfortunately, the 25-year-old hasn’t been worth his draft slot, despite making 31 appearances and six starts in Pittsburgh across 3.5 seasons. Leal recorded just 35 tackles (3 for loss), and one sack during his Steelers career.
It’s possible the Steelers will simply try to get Leal back on the practice squad, which could still allow him to see the field on gameday. But if this is the end of the road for him in Pittsburgh, then chances are he’ll receive another opportunity elsewhere.
After all, the Steelers weren’t the only team interested in selecting Leal in the NFL Draft. He’s put a lot more film on tape over the past four years, and obviously, most of it hasn’t been good.
Still, teams are always looking to take chances on players with potential, hoping a change of scenery can lead to better production. That may be the case with Leal too.
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