Pittsburgh Steelers OTAs and minicamp are already behind us in 2025, but as we await training camp, veteran beat reporter Mark Kaboly relayed several “winners and losers” of spring activities during an X post on June 17.
To no surprise, struggling 2022 third-rounder DeMarvin Leal was among the “losers,” and it’s looking more and more likely that the fourth-year edge rusher could be hard-pressed to make the roster this summer.
“Leal put on some weight and was working exclusively at outside linebacker, which had [Alex] Highsmith praising him,” Kaboly began before pointing out Leal’s latest setback.
“Then he was gone,” the Pittsburgh insider continued. “I am not sure what happened, and if anything happened, but if there was one guy who could have benefited from spring reps, it would have been Leal.”
For this reason, Kaboly placed the “loser” tag on Leal, and that’s a fair conclusion.
In three NFL seasons, Leal has only registered 1.0 sack and 3 tackles for a loss. He’s become an afterthought, and now he’s buried on the depth chart behind T.J. Watt, Highsmith, Nick Herbig and rookie draft pick Jack Sawyer.
If anyone needed a good spring, as Kaboly noted, it was Leal. He’ll have to find a way to make more of an impact during training camp and the preseason, and that all starts with being on the field.
DeMarvin Leal Expected to Be Cut in Early 53-Man Roster Projection
In an early 53-man roster projection, Steelers Now beat reporter Alan Saunders agreed that Leal could miss the cut in 2025. In fact, he predicted it when he left the former draft pick out of his projection entirely.
Not only did Saunders keep just four edge rushers (Watt, Highsmith, Herbig and Sawyer), but he also made it clear that Jeremiah Moon would have been his fifth outside linebacker if he had the space.
“Jeremiah Moon is a tough cut, but the top four are so good at outside linebacker that it’s hard to imagine him playing much there, and Malik Harrison can fill his role on special teams,” he explained.
Leal, often seen as a tweener throughout his career, wasn’t mentioned in the Steelers’ defensive line section either. Needless to say, this all pretty much confirms just how much he’s being overlooked as we head toward training camp.
Steelers’ Alex Highsmith Called OTAs & Minicamp ‘Winner,’ With T.J. Watt Joining Leal in the ‘Loser’ Section
Circling back to Kaboly’s winners and losers post, two other edge rushers made the list: Highsmith and Watt. But they were placed in opposite categories.
“We heard more about T.J. Watt not showing up to offseason workouts than anything to do with Highsmith,” Kaboly wrote, while calling Highsmith one of the winners of spring.
“Highsmith was there all the time, filling in as the leader of the linebackers as youngsters Nick Herbig and rookie Jack Sawyer followed his lead,” he reasoned. “But that is beside the point. Highsmith worked his butt off during these practices when nobody would have blinked if he hadn’t. It has been quite amazing how he has come along in just a few years.”
“If somebody has a better spin move than Highsmith, which he practices every day, I’d like to know who,” Kaboly went on praising the veteran. “The quiet, workmanlike, and dedication to bettering himself during a meaningless time in the season impressed me. Can I say a 13-15 sack season? I wouldn’t rule it out.”
As for Watt, as you’d expect, he ended up in the loser category due to his ongoing contract situation. However, Kaboly clarified that this one is more of a technicality.
“Watt didn’t miss a thing when he decided to skip the entire offseason because of what we assume is a contract dispute,” he wrote. “Watt has been quiet, other than a peace symbol he posted on the IG a few months back, so everything we think we know is coming second-hand.”
“Still, nothing good can come out of skipping a mandatory team function,” Kaboly argued. “Not only is Watt a ‘loser’ over this development, but the Steelers are also.”
The veteran reporter assured fans that a deal will get done, but the absence is still negative overall.
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