The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a busy day.
They signed former Eagles wide receiver Quiz Watkins first thing in the morning.
The signing of seasoned quarterback Kyle Allen as the third addition to their quarterback room was later made public.
The team’s general manager also disclosed that they have chosen to bolster their defensive line with some experience, in addition to the Allen news.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan disclosed to the public during the NFL Owner’s Meeting on March 25 that the team had reached an agreement with veteran defensive end Dean Lowry (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor).
Lowry’s Long Run With the Packers
The Green Bay Packers drafted Lowry in the fourth round back in 2016 and he put together a long career with the team.
That run in Green Bay got off to a slow start with Lowry making just 8 tackles.
Just a year later he carved out a much larger role with the Packers. He started 11 games in his second season and made 32 total tackles while adding a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
The next year he started eight games while playing in all 16 and had 44 tackles with 3 sacks.
He then solidified his place in Green Bay’s starting lineup.
He started every game for the Packers in 2019 and 2021. He recorded eight sacks and 125 tackles in those three seasons.
After that, he played one more season with Green Bay, totaling 43 tackles.
His tenure with the Packers drew to an end after seven years, and he made the decision to sign with a division foe.
He signed a two-year contract with the Vikings in 2023, but his first season with the team was cut short after he played in just nine games due to a pectoral injury.
They ended up releasing him after his first season with the team, which made him available for the Steelers to come along and pick him up to add depth to their defensive line.
The Steelers’ Defensive Line
Heading into this year’s NFL offseason, the Steelers had plenty of needs to address.
The need on the defensive line wasn’t one getting a whole lot of attention this offseason, but it was definitely something they needed to address.
The team got disappointing play out of Larry Ogunjobi last season after signing him to a big contract.
Cameron Heyward is coming off of a season where he had to play through a major injury and is going to be 35 in May.
Keeanu Benton showed potential in his rookie season, but still needs to continue developing to be an option the Steelers rely upon.
They eventually needed some more options because of all of that.
The line’s ceiling isn’t raised by signing Lowry, but he does provide them with some reliable depth behind their starters and might move into a rotational role should Heyward get less snaps in 2024.
Furthermore, it does not stop them from perhaps acquiring someone during the draft.
Since Lowry doesn’t really offer a solution for the team’s future at the position, that was something that was considered a possibility throughout the offseason and is still something they may think about.
Picking up Lowry isn’t one of the most memorable signings of the offseason for the Steelers, but it definitely strengthens a position where they needed to make a move before the 2024 season.
