Editor’s note: From now until reporting day to training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2026 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with two players each day between June 13 and July 28. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.
DT ESEZI OTOMEWO
Experience/age: fourth season, 27
Contract status: $1.75 million cap hit in 2026, signed one-year contract
The past: Otomewo played a career-high 12 games last season in his first year with the Steelers. A former fifth-round draft pick by the Vikings in 2022, Otomewo played five games in Minnesota as a rookie and four games in 2024 for the Jaguars. The Steelers signed him in March 2025 as a free agent.
The 6-foot-5, 282-pounder found a steady role last season in Pittsburgh and played the fifth most snaps among the team’s defensive linemen (196). He made nine total tackles, five solo stops, one sack and one tackle for loss. Inactive for the first four games, Otomewo made his Steelers debut in Week 6 vs. Cleveland and recorded a QB hit. Pro Football Focus credited him with nine total pressures last season.
An Indianapolis native, Otomewo played 46 games (20 starts) over four college seasons for Minnesota. He made 81 career tackles, including 7 1/2 sacks. He earned All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2021.
2026 outlook: The Steelers liked what they saw in Otomewo and re-signed him to another one-year contract. The new defensive coaching staff has said it prefers defensive linemen with position flexibility, a skill Otomewo displayed last fall. He played 125 snaps at tackle and 71 at end. He was particularly busy in a four-game stretch late in the season, logging 101 snaps in weeks 13-16. His uptick in play coincided with Derrick Harmon being sidelined by injury. Pro Football Focus analytics rated Otomewo’s Week 15 performance against the Dolphins as his best of the year. He had a sack and assisted on two tackles in the 28-15 victory.
Defensive line is one of the more crowded positions on the Steelers’ preseason roster. The team returns its top four linemen from a year ago: Harmon, Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton and Yahya Black. The team added veteran free agent Sebastian Joseph-Day. Joining Otomewo as potential depth options are Logan Lee, Dean Lowry, Kyler Baugh, Kevin Jobity Jr., Anthony Goodlow and sixth-round draft pick Gabriel Rubio. The Steelers began last season with eight defensive linemen on the 53-man roster.