Steelers Outlook on Dean Lowry: Can They Trust Him After Signing?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have finally landed a veteran depth piece along the interior of the defensive line that they had essentially been chasing for at least a month.

Dean Lowry, who spent each of the past two seasons with the Steelers, signed a one-year deal with the team on May 26 as they begun the second week of OTAs.

There had been reports that the two sides came to terms on a contract right after the 2026 NFL Draft concluded, though the 31-year-old backed out of that agreement as a means of giving himself more time to get back into playing shape after missing the entire 2025 campaign due to a torn ACL he sustained in training camp.

Pittsburgh has a rather crowded group of interior defensive linemen, though Lowry's 132 games of NFL experience coupled with his familiarity both with the organization and head coach Mike McCarthy from their days together with the Green Bay Packers made him a strong candidate to return this offseason.

Lowry has officially made that decision after a brief delay, but how much can the Steelers trust him to contribute in 2026?

Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) passes against pressure from Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Dean Lowry (94) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Lowry's Potential Role and Chances of Making the Roster

Because he was out for the entirety of last season, Lowry only suited up for 12 games throughout the course of his initial two-year, $5 million deal with Pittsburgh.

During that span, he recorded just five tackles and a sack while logging 129 defensive snaps and 31 on special teams.

Lowry primarily lined up on the left side of the Steelers' defensive line either as an end opposite an offensive tackle or as a three-tech, specifically in nickel packages.

It remains to be seen how Patrick Graham utilizes Lowry's skill set as a good athlete that stands at 6-foot-6 and 296 pounds, but it should be similar to how Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin deployed him.

Lowry certainly wouldn't appear to be a lock to make Pittsburgh's 53-man roster, however. If the team carries seven or eight interior defensive linemen, there's really only two spots or so up for grabs considering Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Yahya Black are all guarantees.

Esezi Otomewo was a useful depth piece last season in a similar role to the one Lowry plays, and it's hard to imagine Pittsburgh picking the latter over him considering the former is younger and doesn't have any injury concerns at the moment.

Sixth-round rookie Gabriel Rubio is also set to fight for a spot while coming off a left elbow injury at Notre Dame. He provides increased upside as a run defender than Lowry, albeit as more of a nose tackle, meaning the two wouldn't fill the same niche.

Logan Lee is another name to watch, and the Steelers may feel more comfortable betting on the former sixth-rounder's upside given that he's only played 47 defensive snaps in his career instead of rolling with a veteran in Lowry who's coming off a major injury.

While Lowry will be a useful player to have around through training camp and the preseason as a higher-floor type of player who previously spent time with McCarthy, it's tough to envision him making any sort of impact even if he does make the 53-man roster, which in and of itself might be a long shot.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI, and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTube or anywhere you listen!

Add us as a preferred source on Google