After being limited in practice all week with lingering issues to his right foot, the Steelers officially ruled Larry Ogunjobi as questionable for Sunday's season opener against the 49ers. The Steelers' defensive end has been on and off the field and at points during training camp in Latrobe had sported a walking boot to help remedy the injury. But, more than a month after that fact, the 29-year-old is still dealing with the lingering effects.
With a potent and layered 49ers offense ready to visit for a 1 p.m. kickoff Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, the Steelers will have to instantly pivot to DeMarvin Leal and Isaiahh Loudermilk and the rest of their depth on the line, and it will have to lean more on T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith to put more pressure from a pass-rush perspective than usual.
"I mean, we have a deep room," Watt said after Friday's practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "I think you guys have seen that all through training camp and the preseason. Just ready for any guy who's next to go in there if Larry can't go. I hope he can. Leal and 'Milk have done a great job of developing over the last couple of years."
With the edges secured by one of the highest-paid and highest-producing tandems in the league, that leaves the middle for Cam Heyward and a likely rotation of Loudermilk and Leal. Leal spent last season roving around multiple spots across the Steelers' defensive line, but the drafting of Keeanu Benton among other moves to shore up the nose tackle position have anchored Leal to the defensive end spot throughout training camp and the preseason.
Leal was more effective as a pass rusher than he was as a run stopper last season, with a pass-rush grade of 55.2 according to Pro Football Focus. The 49ers, as Mike Tomlin put it on Tuesday, are a team that likes to "throw short and run long," meaning the pass rush will be vial to getting to Brock Purdy quicker than he wants to release the ball.
"We think we got two really (pass rushers), too," Teryl Austin said this week. "So, we're expecting Alex to win his share. We know 71 (Trent Williams) is going to win some. But we expect Alex to win his share. We expect T.J. to do what T.J. does. Maybe we'll have a couple of schematic things that try to help us where we can get some one on ones. We also feel like we have some guys inside that can give us some balance in that rush with Cam and Larry and Leal and those guys in there. We feel pretty good about our rush and the things we can do. The question is, do we get them in third-down situations and passing situations where we can use those guys."
The Leal and Loudermilk rotation will take on an interior 49ers offensive line that isn't as strong as its exterior, meaning pressure kept from the inside can only open more opportunities for Watt and Highsmith to seal the edges and for the linebackers to key in on Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle.
"It don't matter who's starting, who gets on the field first or last, we're all going to be setting the same standard," Leal said. "... It's a little itch going on, and you can definitely tell when guys are sitting there being attentive when it comes to what the calls are on the sideline, just making sure that they're seeing and knowing what's going on even if they're not on the field, seeing it from a different perspective, and that just tells that guys are ready to get on the field and show who they are, what they are, and what they can do."
Watt will be a major key -- as he usually is -- in this matchup in particular because of who he is lining up against. He will see a lot of fourth-year tackle Colton McKivitz, who has just five starts under his belt in his career and takes over as the 49ers' right tackle after Mike McGlinchey left for the Broncos in free agency. McKivitz was the main backup to two-time All-Pro left tackle Williams last season.
The Williams assignment will go to Highsmith, who is likely going to rush against him in many one-on-one situations.
"Just been studying him and stuff, so it's going to be a good matchup," Highsmith said. "He's one of the best in the game, and so I look forward to competing against the best. That's what you live for."
There is a synergy to account for within this line, even with mainstays like Highsmith, Watt, and Heyward set to go Sunday. Loudermilk was one of the risers from training camp in Latrobe, and Austin noted this week that Leal has the full confidence from the coaching staff to step up if Ogunjobi cannot play Sunday.
"Absolutely. I think Marv has done a good job," Austin said. "We really like Marv. He is a good, young player. He's still ascending. If for whatever reason we wouldn't be able to have Larry, then I absolutely count on Marv."
