According to ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, the Pittsburgh Steelersare planning to release defensive lineman turned linebacker DeMarvin Leal. Leal was selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Texas A&M and is headed into his fourth NFL season.
Going into the 2021 college football season, Leal was one of the top prospects to watch. But as the season went on and he failed to show the growth many expected, he saw his draft stock tumble. Some viewed Leal as a steal in the third round. Pittsburgh tried in vain to convert the former defensive end into a pass-rushing edge.
The Steelers outside linebacker depth chart is loaded, which made this a simple move. The team has T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith as starters with Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer as the primary backups along with Eku Leota who has been strong in the presason and likely made Leal expendable.
#Steelers are releasing DL DeMarvin Leal, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 26, 2025
The Steelers must have their roster trimmed down to 53 players by the end of business on Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers to release LB DeMarvin Leal