Steelers GM Kevin Colbert addresses Stephon Tuitt situation, reveals plans for DeMarvin Leal
When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line, the team is still trying to figure out if Stephon Tuitt is going to play in 2022. He missed all of 2021 due to a knee injury and because he was dealing with the grieving process of his brother’s death in a hit-and-run incident in Georgia last June.
Outgoing Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert addressed the situation during Wednesday’s “Mark Madden Show” on 105.9 The X.
“We met with him. Talked with him. He is still recovering from that knee injury that he had. He had that personal situation that he is working his way back through,” Colbert said. “We respect that and understand it. But we also understand that a season is approaching and a timetable is approaching, and we will continue to monitor it. We are very encouraged by our discussions. But, again, until we get up and running and he is a part of it, we’ll see how it goes.”
So, it sounds like the Steelers are holding out hope that Tuitt can still be part of the defensive line rotation. But — with Tuitt’s $13.9 million cap figure looming — the franchise needs to make a call soon, even if Tuitt isn’t ready to do so.
It’d be nice if the Steelers and Tuitt can resolve that issue as soon as possible so that it’s not something sitting on the desk of the new GM whenever that person is officially hired to replace Colbert.
Whether Tuitt returns this season or not, the Steelers need to get younger along the defensive line. Tuitt turns 29 later this month. Chris Wormley does, too, in October. Cameron Heyward (32) and Tyson Alualu (34) are the two oldest players on the team. Tuitt has three
That’s why Colbert selected DeMarvin Leal out of Texas A&M in the third round of last week’s NFL draft. One issue with him, though, is that Leal is a bit light by the standards of their usual 3-4 defensive ends.
Colbert claims Leal was roughly 287 pounds at his pro day. Heyward, Alualu, Tuitt and Wormley are all between 295-305 pounds. Plus, Leal rushed off the edge a lot and often provided pass pressure more so than concentrating on stuffing the run.
The Steelers led the league in sacks with 55. They were last against the run, allowing a putrid 146.1 yards per game. The Steelers need Leal to become a leaner Tuitt, as opposed to a bigger Bud Dupree.
Colbert thinks that can happen.
“He’s got the frame that he can add,” Colbert insisted to Madden. “In Texas A&M’s schematic, they used him a little bit more outside than he probably will play outside in ours. So I think they wanted him to be a little bit lighter, so they could move him in and out. Whereas, for us, in our base defense, he’d be an end. But in our sub-packages, he’d be more interior. So I could see him adding some weight. But the athleticism he displays at that weight — and if he adds 10 pounds and more muscle — I don’t see him losing any of that.”
As Colbert said, Leal’s versatility is appealing. And maybe he and Isaiahh Loudermilk can make a nice tandem someday whenever Tuitt, Alualu and Heyward all leave Pittsburgh.
But for now, the most basic, simple task facing Leal is the one the Steelers need him to master quickly: stopping the run.
Getting Tuitt back healthy, committed and engaged would be even better.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
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