The Pittsburgh Steelers could represent a potential landing spot for one of the more notable players in free agency.
As the Steelers seek a replacement for the recently retired Stephon Tuitt, one of the more intriguing options is defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, according to Sports Illustrated’s Noah Strackbein.
“Larry Ogunjobi is the answer for the Steelers,” Strackbein wrote in a story published June 2. “He was set to sign a deal with the Chicago Bears during free agency but failed his physical and hit the open market again.
“The 29-year-old has 63 starts under his belt, found the quarterback seven times last season and had a career-high 14 tackles for loss. His health is an issue following a foot injury last season. If he’s healthy, he’s the best option for the Steelers. If he’s not, things get complicated.”
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Ogunjobi Failed Physical With Bears
Ogunjobi, who is actually 28 years old, spent last season with the Cincinnati Bengals and had agreed to a deal worth $40.5 million across three years with the Bears early in the offseason. However, the Bears called off the deal after Ogunjobi failed his physical because of a foot injury he suffered during the Bengals’ postseason run.
Ogunjobi’s new deal would have paid him between $13 million and $14 million per season and placed him among the top 10 highest-paid players at his position.
The five-year veteran was a force for the Bengals last season. Outside of starting all 16 of his appearances, he led Cincinnati in WAR (wins above replacement) against the run and posted 14 tackles for loss, Sports Illustrated’s Derrick Bell tweeted on June 1.
According to Pro Football Focus, however, Ogunjobi’s numbers — 50.3 defensive grade and a 38.9 run defensive grade — are a lot less impressive. By comparison, Tuitt earned a 75.7 defensive grade and a 58.1 run defensive grade during his final season (2020).
But Ogunjobi’s advanced grades aren’t just far lower than Tuitt’s numbers, they ranked as some of the worst of any defensive tackle in the league last season. Among defensive tackles with at least 500 snaps, Ogunjobi’s defensive grade ranked in the bottom 13 and his run defensive grade ranked him within the bottom seven.
It’s rare for a player who produces so well on the stat sheet — eight sacks and 32 quarterback hurries or hits — earns below-average advanced grades from PFF. But that’s the case with Ogunjobi.
Why Ogunjobi Could Make Sense for Steelers
If the Steelers are looking outside the organization to replace Tuitt, they’d probably be hard-pressed to find a better option than Ogunjobi. With that being said, the Steelers would probably have to offer a worthwhile deal to the veteran, especially considering he was on the verge of signing a deal upwards of $13 million per season.
Furthermore, Ogunjobi appears to be coveted by an AFC rival. According to former NFL player and current SNY analyst Leger Douzable, the Jets have made a contract offer to Ogunjobi.
The Steelers currently have almost $20 million in available cap space, the sixth most of any team in the league. If Pittsburgh feels its current group of potential Tuitt replacements — Chris Wormley, Isaiahh Loudermilk and DeMarvin Leal — can’t get the job done, signing Ogunjobi could be an avenue worth pursuing.
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Steelers a Potential Landing Spot for $40 Million Deal Player