Steelers 2-a-days: DL James Nyamwaya a late-bloomer project, veteran Larry Ogunjobi returns to team

Editor’s note: From the end of minicamp through the day the team reports to training camp at Saint Vincent College, the Trib will be running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, assessing each player’s outlook for the 2023 season. The breakdown will go through the roster in mostly alphabetical order, (at least) two per day, between June 16 and July 26. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.

DT JAMES NYAMWAYA

Experience: Rookie

Contract status: $754,666 cap hit if he makes the team in 2023

2023 outlook: As recently as last autumn, Nyamwaya played a football game in Pittsburgh. At a venue named for the founder of the Steelers, at that.

But Nyamwaya’s strip-sack that led to the deciding points Oct. 8, 2022, came for the Merrimack College Warriors in a 28-21 win against Duquesne at Rooney Field on The Bluff. Odds are, the Steelers had representation at that game, and if they did, perhaps that’s what compelled the team to sign Nyamwaya as an undrafted free agent in the hours after the draft ended April 29.

The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Nyamwaya had 5 ½ sacks and 6 ½ tackles for loss among his 27 total tackles (20 solo) in his only season playing football at the Division I FCS level. He previously played at Division III Curry College and a year of prep school. But what could make Nyamwaya an intriguing prospect is that he is a native of Kenya who did not come to the United States until he was 9. He was not introduced to American football until his freshman year of high school.

If Nyamwaya shows enough potential during training camp, he’s a perfect practice-squad candidate.

“I think it was the energy of this team,” Ogunjobi said of his reason for returning to the Steelers. “Going through the injury last year, how they took care of me and welcomed me with open arms was super important.”https://t.co/5tY9gTXFsm

— Tribune-Review Sports (@TribSports) June 7, 2023

DT LARRY OGUNJOBI

Experience: 7th season

Contract status: $4.93 million cap hit in 2023, signed through 2025

2023 outlook: Turns out, a foot injury Ogunjobi suffered during a playoff game for the Cincinnati Bengals in January 2022 ended up costing him – to this point – about $6.35 million in guaranteed money. But Ogunjobi’s financial loss has been the Steelers gain.

After completing his one season with Cincinnati 16 months ago, Ogunjobi agreed to a three-year contract with the Chicago Bears soon after 2022 free agency opened. But when the Bears were not satisfied with the results of Ogunjobi’s physical – presumably the result of a foot injury suffered during a Cincinnati wild-card round win against the Las Vegas Raiders – the team rescinded the three-year, $40.5 million contract that included $26.35 in guarantees.

Three months later, the Steelers brought Ogunjobi aboard on a one-year, $8 million contract. And after a season in which he was the reliable run-stuffer he’d been for the previous five NFL seasons (the first four with the Cleveland Browns), the Steelers and Ogunjobi agreed to continue their working relationship via a three-year deal worth $28.75 million that had $12 million of it guaranteed.

Ogunjobi had 48 tackles (25 solo, 7 for less, 1 ½ sacks) and 11 QB hits over 16 games last season. He did so while missing only one game and playing at least 31 defensive snaps in all but one of the others. However, Ogunjobi was an infrequent practice participant, presumably because the Steelers were trying to preserve his post-surgery body. But apparently the organization is unconcerned Ogunjobi’s body won’t hold up as he enters his age 29 season.

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