Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers have promoted former third-round draft pick DeMarvin Leal to the active roster from the practice squad, the team announced on Wednesday
Leal, who has played both defensive tackle and outside linebacker for the Steelers, will immediately provide depth at both positions, which have been dealing with a myriad of injuries, but specifically at outside linebacker.
Starting right outside linebacker Alex Highsmith has already been ruled out for Week 3 after suffered a high ankle sprain last week. Nick Herbig is expected to start in his place, leaving rookie Jack Sawyer as the only other outside linebacker on the team.
Leal, who played defensive end in a 4-3 scheme in college, has split his career in the NFL pretty evenly between being a sub package defensive tackle (105 snaps per PFF), 3-4 defensive end (128 snaps) and edge rusher (186 snaps).
While Leal moved exclusively to outside linebacker this spring and has played only there throughout the 2025 season, he can also provide emergency depth to the banged up Steelers’ interior.
Starter Derrick Harmon has yet to return from a preseason knee injury. Isaiahh Loudermilk, who started the first two games in place of Harmon, was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday with a high ankle sprain of his own.
That will push one of Yahya Black or Daniel Ekuale into the starting role if Harmon is unable to return this week. Logan Lee has been the sixth defensive lineman. Esezi Otomewo, who was a healthy scratch the first two weeks, will now likely dress.
Leal, 25, was the team’s third-round pick out of Texas A&M in the 2022 NFL Draft. After spending his first three seasons between the team’s active roster and injured reserve list, he was placed on waivers for the first time this August, cleared and was re-signed to the practice squad.
A neck injury limited him to five games in 2024. His best season came in 2023, when he played in 14 contests, made two starts and recording 15 tackles, two tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits and one sack.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Bring Former Third-Round Draft Pick Back to Active Roster
