Steelers $5 Million Draft Bust Named Top Trade Candidate

Defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal of the Pittsburgh Steelers has followed up a great offseason with a strong training camp. But that wouldn’t stop Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler from placing him on the trading block.

Fowler named Leal the one player the Steelers should put on the trade block during the 2024 NFL preseason.

“Given that Leal’s skill set remains a work in progress, which has in turn limited playing time, moving him could create more flexibility along the line for players like Logan Lee (sixth-rounder in 2024) for more snaps,” wrote Fowler.

“Given his age (23) and potential performance ceiling, the Steelers could leverage his upside to acquire valuable draft picks or a more immediate contributor at the position if they seem fit. The move would align with HC Mike Tomlin’s long-term strategy of staying competitive in the always competitive AFC North by continually reloading talent from a variety of avenues.”

The Steelers drafted Leal at No. 84 overall in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft. As a third-round choice, he signed a 4-year, $5.19 million rookie deal.

In 23 games with Pittsburgh over the past two seasons, Leal has recorded 29 combined tackles, including 3 tackles for loss. He’s also posted 4 pass defenses, 2 quarterback hits and 1 sack.

Leal, who the Steelers list as a defensive end on their official roster, ended the 2023 season as a healthy scratch in five of the team’s last six contests.

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Why the Steelers Could Trade DeMarvin Leal

The end of the 2023 campaign is the biggest reason why Leal could be on the move this preseason. He received the opportunity for more playing time when Cameron Heyward went on injured reserve after Week 1 last season.

But Leal failed to seize his chance. He recorded just a 47.5 Pro Football Focus player grade (out of 100) throughout the 2023 season. After just two weeks in the starting lineup, Leal began seeing his role decrease.

Once Heyward returned from injured reserve, Leal essentially fell out of Pittsburgh’s defensive line rotation. By Week 14, he wasn’t even dressing most of the time.

Despite some speculation that they could make changes along the defensive front this offseason, the Steelers elected not to release Heyward or Larry Ogunjobi. Furthermore, the expectation is that 2023 second-round Keeanu Benton will have a bigger role this season. The Steelers also added defensive tackle Logan Lee in the sixth-round of the 2024 NFL draft.

If all those players remain healthy, Leal might not have much of a role again this fall. That could potentially make him better suited as a trade chip.

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Why the Steelers Likely Won’t Give Up on Leal

However, there’s a major flaw in the argument that Leal should be on the trade block. Leal doesn’t appear to be the same player the Steelers sat as a healthy scratch at the end of last season.

“Entering a pivotal year in his NFL career, Leal found his ‘professional footing,’ got his body right and was more comfortable in the playbook,” Steelers Depot’s Josh Carney wrote. “That led to a very strong spring that earned him quite a bit of praise from defensive line coach Karl Dunbar.

“The question was, could that carry over into training camp. Then, Leal did just that, getting off to a fast start in camp, turning some heads and generating quite a bit of buzz.”

Carney added that Leal played well in his preseason debut, as he posted 3 tackles and a sack in 33 defensive snaps.

The Steelers appear to have depth along their defensive line. So, it’s natural to suggest that the team could trade one of their veteran defensive linemen.

But if Leal continues to show he’s turned the corner, it’s hard to imagine the Steelers departing with a 24-year-old still on an affordable rookie contract.

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