Player: DL Daniel Ekuale
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Daniel Ekuale is probably not a name Steelers fans are thinking about, but he could have a significant role. The offseason hasn’t broken poorly for him, even with the team drafting two defensive linemen. Realistically, he could enter the season as the top rotational defensive end.
I do not consider it a demerit for Daniel Ekuale that DL coach Karl Dunbar spilled the beans about Derrick Harmon starting. We knew he was going to start, and we knew they were going to draft a starter. In other words, that situation changed nothing for him.
And if the addition of Yahya Black meant another body in Ekuale’s way, the release of Montravius Adams offset that. The reality is the Steelers have added no net competition for him that he didn’t already have. Harmon replaces Larry Ogunjobi, and Black replaces Adams.
That leaves Daniel Ekuale back where he started, vying with the Ls—Loudermilk, Leal, Lowry, and Lee—for a roster spot, and for playing time. Of the group, he is comfortably the most qualified and experienced. That’s why the Steelers brought him in, and it remains true.
It also helps that the Steelers want to change what they saw last year, including personnel. Loudermilk and Leal and Lowry were a part of their struggles. Lee has the benefit of having been injured, but Ekuale can help address their issues. He can set the edge against the run, for example, one of their priorities this offseason.
Nobody is going to get very excited when Daniel Ekuale checks into a game this year, but check-in he will. Last season is unrepresentative given that he fell into a starting role. Realistically, he could see a few hundred snaps, presuming he beats out the competition. And he should, particularly Leal and Loudermilk. Lowry is a similarly-experienced veteran player they brought in last year, but Ekuale is arguably a better fit.
With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of thatchange the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency andthe 2025 NFL Draft. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
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