The Steelers are extending their time with Larry Ogunjobi in the middle of their defensive front. The veteran defensive tackle is set to re-sign in Pittsburgh on a three-year, $28.75M deal (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter).
Schefter adds that the contract includes $21.75M in compensation over its first two years.
That makes this pact a lengthier, more lucrative one than the one-year accord Ogunjobi played on in 2022. The latter contract came after a agreement which would have sent him to Chicago fell through due to an issue with his physical.
Ogunjobi, 28, was able to quickly circle back into the AFC North with his Pittsburgh deal after that. His Steelers debut came after four years spent with the Browns, and one with the Bengals.
He arrived in the Steel City with significant expectations, given his production as a pass rusher in particular during his time in Ohio. The former third-rounder was also thought to have a clear path to playing time with Stephon Tuitt having retired.
Ogunjobi did indeed start all 16 games he played in last season, logging a healthy snap share of 63%. He notched 48 tackles in that span, a figure on par with his totals from each of the past four campaigns.
After recording a career-high seven sacks as a Bengal in 2021, however, his total in that department dropped to just 1.5, the lowest such figure since his rookie season.
As a whole, the Steelers struggled to generate as much pressure with their defensive front as they have in recent years. Missed time from edge rusher T.J. Watt played a major role in that, of course, but the team will still be looking for an uptick in production from Ogunjobi moving forward.
His effectiveness as a run-stopper will, in any event, give him a high floor as a player for the short-term future, as the Steelers continue to invest considerably in their defensive line.
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