The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2025 offseason practices concluded in the middle of June, and next up is the team’s annual training camp, which will get underway in the latter part of July at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. Ahead of that, we will preview the team’s offseason roster, three players at a time. This Steelers roster preview, which includes an outlook for every player, will be done alphabetically by last name to make it easy to follow. This series figures to exceed 90 players as the team can carry 91 players during the offseason due to the allowance of one international player designation.
The next three players we will preview ahead of the Steelers’ 2025 training camp are Eku Leota, Isaiahh Loudermilk, and Dean Lowry.
OLB Eku Leota: An Auburn product by way of Northwestern, Leota originally signed with the Steelers last October as a member of the team’s practice squad. He had previously been on the practice squad of the Carolina Panthers, the team that originally signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
The Steelers elevated Leota from their practice squad for the team’s Week 6 game, and he logged 13 total defensive snaps in that contest, along with one snap on special teams. He was credited with one total tackle in that contest as well. After ending the 2024 season on the Steelers’ practice squad, the team re-signed Leota to a Reserve/Future contract in January.
For his NFL career to date, Leota has registered 284 defensive snaps and 162 more on special teams. He has been credited with nine total tackles, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and one sack in 11 regular-season games.
At his 2023 pro day, Leota measured in at 6030, 263 pounds with 9 1/2-inch hands and 33 1/2-inch arms.
Outlook: Considered an outside linebacker when it comes to the Steelers, Leota did well to stick on the team’s practice squad most of the 2024 season. The fact that he was elevated from that unit for one game last season also shows the team likes him to some degree.
Leota should have familiarity with Pittsburgh’s defense during training camp, and that should allow him to play fast. Even so, the Steelers have a loaded outside linebacker depth chart this summer, and it now includes a rookie draft pick in Jack Sawyer, the team’s fourth-round selection this year.
Barring injuries to the outside linebacker room this summer, Leota will have an extremely tough time making the Steelers’ 53-man roster. His special-teams experience will help his cause a little bit, however. Realistically, Leota will more than likely be fighting for a spot on the Steelers’ Week 1 practice squad this summer. He does have NFL game experience, so that should lead to him being an intriguing player to watch a little more closely once training camp gets underway.
DT Isaiahh Loudermilk: An unrestricted free agent for a short time this past offseason, Loudermilk, who was originally selected by the Steelers in the fifth round (156th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin, ultimately re-signed with the team in March on a one-year veteran benefit deal that totals out at $1,627,500.
Last season, Loudermilk appeared in 16 regular-season games in addition to the team’s lone playoff game. He logged 222 regular-season snaps on defense in 2024 and 156 more on special teams. He also saw considerable playing time in the team’s lone playoff game.
For the 2024 regular season, Loudermilk was credited with 17 total tackles and one pass defensed. He added three more tackles in the team’s lone playoff contest. While Loudermilk’s run defense did improve some in 2024, it still isn’t deemed great. Pro Football Focus gave Loudermilk an overall defensive grade of 59.3 for his 2024 play, and his run defense grade came in at 63.9.
For his NFL career to date, Loudermilk has registered 63 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, six passes defensed, and one quarterback hit in 58 regular-season games and 807 total defensive snaps.
Outlook: The Steelers essentially only have $167,500 invested in Loudermilk for 2025, as that was the signing bonus he was given in March. In short, he is far from being considered a lock to make the 53-man roster later this summer.
The Steelers hope and need to upgrade their defensive line room in 2025, and while they have trusted Loudermilk to be part of that unit the last four seasons, he will most definitely need to earn one of the few seemingly open spots once training camp gets underway in late July.
Loudermilk is what he is as a run defender and pass rusher at this point in his career, so his ceiling seems to have been hit. He is merely a fringe NFL depth defensive lineman moving forward.
Quite honestly, it could go either way with Loudermilk this summer. That said, the smart betting money should slightly lean toward him not making the 53-man roster come Week 1 of the 2025 regular season. Should he ultimately wind up being part of the final roster cuts in September, Loudermilk could potentially wind up starting the 2025 regular season on the Steelers’ practice squad as one of the few veteran additions.
DL Dean Lowry: Signed by the Steelers to a two-year, $5 million contract with $1.25 million in guaranteed money last April, Lowry went on to play in 12 regular-season games in 2024. He was inactive for five regular-season games and the team’s lone playoff contest.
In total, Lowry logged 159 defensive snaps with the Steelers during the 2024 regular season, with 31 more on special teams. He was credited with five total tackles, one quarterback hit, one sack, and one pass defensed in his limited playing time last season.
A position-versatile defensive lineman, Lowry did not play well overall on defense for the Steelers in 2024. He was especially below-the-line when it came to his play against the run in 2024. As a pass rusher, Lowry was credited with nine total pressures by Pro Football Focus in 2024.
Lowry’s 2024 season came on the heels of him suffering a pectoral injury in 2023 as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. That 2023 injury happened in November of that year and resulted in him being placed on their Reserve/Injured list. Lowry will turn 32 in June, and he’s scheduled to earn a non-guaranteed base salary of $2.5 million in 2025.
Outlook: The 2025 outlook for Lowry isn’t great ahead of this year’s training camp getting underway, mainly due to how he played in limited defensive action in 2024. Additionally, the Steelers have revamped their defensive line room this offseason, and that included the team using two draft picks this year on defensive linemen, Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black. Additionally, the Steelers signed veteran DL Daniel Ekuale to a one-year contract this offseason.
Lowry is now in the final stages of his NFL career, and although he is not scheduled to earn a huge salary in 2025, he will certainly need to earn a spot on the team’s 53-man roster this summer. At most, the Steelers will keep seven defensive linemen on their 53-man roster come Week 1, and Lowry figures to have a tough road ahead of him when it comes to claiming one of the few seemingly open spots.
The fact that Lowry was a healthy scratch several times at the end of the 2024 season probably says a lot about what the Steelers think about him moving into this summer. In short, it won’t be surprising to see Lowery cut by Week 1 and then not re-signed to the team’s practice squad as a veteran addition to the unit. It will likely take several defensive linemen getting injured this summer for Lowry to remain in Pittsburgh come the start of the regular season.
Previous Posts In This Series:
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Calvin Anderson, Spencer Anderson, Calvin Austin III
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Keeanu Benton, Beanie Bishop Jr., Yahya Black
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Chris Boswell, Nick Broeker, Carson Bruener
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Sebastian Castro, Dylan Cook, Domenique Davis
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Brandin Echols, Daniel Ekuale, DeShon Elliott
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Troy Fautanu, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Zach Frazier
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Pat Freiermuth, Kenneth Gainwell, JJ Galbreath
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Derrick Harmon, Devin Harper, Malik Harrison
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Nick Herbig, Cameron Heyward, Connor Heyward
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Alex Highsmith, Cole Holcomb, Will Howard
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Evan Hull, Max Hurleman, D’Shawn Jamison
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Brandon Johnson, Kaleb Johnson, Quindell Johnson
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Cameron Johnston, Broderick Jones, Steven Jones
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — Donte Kent, Miles Killebrew, Christian Kuntz
90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Training Camp Preview Series — DeMarvin Leal, Logan Lee, Montana Lemonious-Craig
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