Yet another former Pittsburgh Steelers player is joining former rival coach John Harbaugh with the New York Giants.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Monday morning the Giants planned to sign veteran defensive lineman Dean Lowry to their practice squad.
Veteran DL Dean Lowry plans to sign with the Giants practice squad, per source,” wrote Fowler. Lowry enters his 10th NFL season, has 16.5 sacks and 271 tackles.
A lot of pundits expected Lowry to make the Steelers 53-man roster this summer. But on August 30, the Steelers released Lowry on roster cutdown day.
Instead of retaining the veteran, Pittsburgh kept rookie defensive linemen Gabe Rubio and Kevin Jobity Jr.
Lowry played the past two seasons for the Steelers. In 2024, he posted five combined tackles with one sack and one pass defense in 12 games. Last season, he suffered an ACL tear during a training camp practice and missed the entire campaign.
Lowry has also played for the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. In 132 career games, he’s started 85 contests and posted 271 combined tackles with 16.5 sacks and 18 pass defenses.
Giants Signing Ex-Steelers Defensive Lineman Dean Lowry: Report
Lowry appeared to be in line for a depth role with the Steelers defensive line to begin this season. But the unit is very deep with Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black all returning.
The Steelers also signed veteran Sebastian Joseph-Day in NFL free agency over the offseason.
So, in the best case scenario, Lowry would have been Pittsburgh’s sixth defensive lineman on the 53-man roster. But instead of Lowry or fellow veteran Esezi Otomewo as that sixth lineman, the Steelers kept two rookies. That meant even with seven defensive linemen on the roster, Lowry didn’t have a role in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers brought back Otomewo on their practice squad. But with the team not re-signing Lowry, the veteran became a free agent.
Lowry began his career as a fourth-round pick for the Packers in the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent seven years in Green Bay, starting 80 contests during that span. Lowry then spent a year with the Vikings before joining the Steelers in 2024.
If the Giants officially add the veteran defensive lineman, Lowry will be the second defensive lineman on the New York practice squad. The Giants also have veteran Josh Tupou on the practice squad.
John Harbaugh Signs Another Former Steelers Veteran
The Giants have been a popular landing spot for former Steelers this offseason.
Shortly after getting hired in January, Harbaugh brought in former Steelers third-round pick DeMarvin Leal. That was the start of a lot of different former Steelers spending time with the Giants over the offseason.
In NFL free agency, the Giants signed wide receiver Calvin Austin III. New York also added veteran wideout Juju Smith-Schuster and running back Najee Harris.
Of those three, only Harris is on the Giants active roster to begin the regular season. But New York also added ex-Steelers linebacker Malik Harrison.
The Steelers cut Harrison on August 30 as well. Like Lowry, Harrison will begin the regular season on the Giants practice squad.
Before playing in Pittsburgh, Harrison played for Harbaugh with the Baltimore Ravens.
Harbaugh’s Giants won’t face the Steelers or his former team, the Ravens, this season. But they will face the Cleveland Browns during Week 15.
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