The Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to release defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, who is scheduled to carry a $10 million cap hit next season in the final year of his three-year contract.
Usually, the Steelers would move before the legal tampering period begins, but with nearly $64 million in cap space, this year might be slightly different. Either way, Pittsburgh is walking the tight rope and appears to be set to decide on Ogunjobi soon.
Why? On March 15th, Ogunjobi is owed a $3 million bonus. If he receives that bonus, it is a near certainty that Ogunjobi will not be cut and should return for the 2025 season. That would be a mild surprise, as even though the Steelers emphasize upgrading the defensive line in free agency and the NFL Draft, Ogunjobi’s play has been up-and-down over his three seasons in Pittsburgh.
He had just 16 pressures in over 300 pass-rushing snaps in 2024. That matters for someone tabbed as a pass-rush specialist, especially because the Steelers sacrificed some run defense upside to have Ogunjobi out on the field consistency.
Either way, the Steelers will have to decide on Ogunjobi by this time next week. If they do cut him, expect the team to go after at least one free agent considering their lack of depth at defensive line. Isaiahh Loudermilk is also a free agent, while Dean Lowry could be another player that ends up being cut.
The Steelers signed Ogunjobi in 2022 after the surprise retirement of Stephon Tuitt. Once that occurred, they scrambled for a replacement, and Ogunjobi, who was coming off a lisfranc injury, was the answer. However, he never reached the heights of his pre-injury game.
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