Pitt DE Bam Brima No Longer with the Program

PITTSBURGH — Pitt will be without a long-term veteran on the defensive line this season.

Bam Brima is no longer with the Pitt football team, Pat Narduzzi announced Monday morning before practice.

It’s an unexpected turn of events for the Panthers, who lose one of the more experienced members of the defensive line and additional versatility across the unit. But it’s not as if it’s a crushing blow to the program as there are a handful of young defensive ends rising the ranks.

Brima — a 6-foot-5, 275-pound defensive end from Worcester, Mass. — initially committed to Pitt as a three-star recruit in the class of 2019, choosing the Panthers over Cincinnati, Syracuse, Rutgers and Temple.

Brima played sparingly over his first three seasons in Pittsburgh, redshirting as a freshman in 2019 before playing in nine games as a reserve defensive lineman between 2020-21. But he emerged as a legitimate rotation piece over the last two seasons — especially in 2023.

He recorded 31 tackles (14 solo), four tackles for loss, three sacks, two fumble recoveries and a pass breakup last season, filling in admirably on the edge.

Brima gave Pitt a solid rotational piece who was very familiar with the defensive scheme, and his loss will require the younger defensive ends to contribute immediately. But that may actually be better for the long-term future of the unit.

Nate Matlack has emerged as a leader among the defensive ends, and he’s joined by Jimmy Scott, Sincere Edwards, Chief Borders and David Ojiegbe in trying to regain the heights achieved in recent seasons.