Steelers 2024 Roster vs. Predicted 2025 Roster, Defensive Line Edition
Naturally, there’s been plenty of speculation around what the Steelers’ 2025 roster could look like as we sit here in early June, working through OTAs and the rest of the offseason. One of the most exciting ways to evaluate the roster is by comparing it to the 2024 version and asking whether the team has improved, regressed, or stayed the same on paper.
In this series, I’ll break down each major position group by comparing last season’s end-of-year depth chart to my projected 53-man roster for cut day. We’re kicking things off with a bang by diving into a room that feels relatively settled at the top and saw serious investment this offseason — the defensive line.
Cameron Heyward vs Cameron Hayward
Heyward saw his spark renewed during the 2024 NFL season, turning in one of his most productive campaigns to date with 71 tackles, 8 sacks, and 11 PDs. It was a season that rekindled faith among Steelers fans, some of whom had started to wonder if he was beginning to regress. With that concern now pushed aside, expectations are high for another strong showing in 2025.
Grade: Wash
Keeanu Benton vs Keeanu Benton
Benton returns for 2025, looking to take a leap forward after a somewhat underwhelming 2024 campaign. While expectations were high heading into last season, he didn’t quite deliver the breakout many were hoping for. This year, with first-round pick Derrick Harmon right behind him on the depth chart, there’s added pressure and motivation for Benton to elevate his game. Entering what feels like the most pivotal year of his young career, the hope is that internal competition will spark the production the Steelers have been waiting to see.
Grade: Better
Larry Ogunjobi vs Derrick Harmon
For the money he was paid, Ogunjobi’s 2024 was overall a disappointment, as the veteran posted 41 tackles and 1.5 sacks all season. Harmon, on the other hand, was the big addition to the room, as the team spent their first-round pick on the Oregon product. Harmon was a disruptive pass rusher for the Ducks in his final season of college football and has all the tools needed to be a difference maker from the outset.
Grade: Better
Montravius Adams vs Daniel Ekuale
Two seasoned veterans go head-to-head here, as the Steelers replaced the always-reliable Montravius Adams, who was a steady presence since being picked up from the Saints in 2021. His replacement, Daniel Ekuale, brings six years of NFL experience and is coming off one of the most impactful seasons of his career, recording 52 tackles in 16 games with the Patriots.
Grade: Wash
Isaiahh Loudermilk vs Yahya Black
Loudermilk has been relatively ineffective throughout his rookie contract, serving primarily as depth during that span. Yahya Black, on the other hand, is a blank canvas — and a massive one at that. Standing at 6’5″ and weighing 317 pounds with a freakish wingspan, he’s an intriguing developmental piece for the future. While the Steelers brought Loudermilk back on a one-year deal to compete in camp, it’s fair to say Black offers a higher ceiling as a long-term contributor.
Grade: Better
Dean Lowry vs Logan Lee
Lee essentially redshirted his rookie season, but by all accounts, the team remains high on his potential coming out of the draft. He now joins a growing list of Iowa players on the Steelers roster. Dean Lowry, while a dependable depth piece who contributed on special teams, may be on the outside looking in. With the Steelers seemingly aiming to overhaul the defensive line room, there’s a realistic path for Lee to earn that sixth spot in the rotation.
Grade: Wash
With three upgrades and three wash grades, I think it’s fair to say that at least on paper, this projected defensive line looks stronger than the 2024 edition. Of course, it’s all speculation until we see how camp and preseason shake out, but the investment and depth added this offseason are encouraging.
What do you think? Do you agree with the grades I handed out? Or do you see some different names cracking the final depth chart?
If Cam stays healthy, yes, Cam’s the lynchpin. He’s all-time Steeler but he’s also 36, so it has to be mentioned.
True.
TBH Cam should be listed as worse. Don’t take that wrong, he’s still very good.
But he just had a career year, or close to it. The odds of repeating a career year are slim.
Yeh, mark ’em all worse to start out…speculation is meaningless. I’ll see what happens in the games.
Larry O was no longer effective and not worth his salary, but I still can’t speculate Harmon near the stats he put up last year. If he has 41 tackles and 1.5 sacks that’d be a massive homerun for OK. That’s a lot of production for a rookie from that spot on this D. So no chance I can rate Harmon better than Larry O. I just hope Harmon forces Tomlin to give him more and more snaps as the year progresses, and looks like a legit first round pick.
Pump the breaks on Harmon, Benton needs to step up and make us forget about Larry Ogunjobi.
Larry’s gotta improve at sneaking those PEDs…
The Future of this DL is: Benton – Yahya – Harmon
I’m glad all 3 are already on the team with Cam to be a Mentor for them..
a true Pittsburgh Steelers fan, since the 70’s with the new and yonug defensive line the Steelers defense shuold be able to shut down the run and pass better and that includes shutting and stopping both Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson