The Pittsburgh Steelers tried to acquire a veteran defensive lineman at the trade deadline to replace injured Daniel Ekuale but failed, leading to the signing of Brodric Martin-Rhodes from the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad. To make room, the team waived former third-round pick DeMarvin Leal. Ekuale suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Pittsburgh Steelers actively pursued a trade for defensive line depth ahead of Tuesday's deadline, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac. The move was aimed at bolstering the backup nose tackle position following Daniel Ekuale's ACL tear in the Week 8 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Ekuale had served as the primary backup to Keeanu Benton throughout the season.
With the trade efforts unsuccessful, the Steelers turned to free agency, signing Brodric Martin-Rhodes off the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad to the active roster. Martin-Rhodes, a former third-round pick of the Detroit Lions in 2023, has recorded just five career tackles in the NFL. He was waived by Detroit in August and joined Kansas City's practice squad. Pittsburgh had scouted him extensively, sending defensive line coach Karl Dunbar to his pro day at Western Kentucky.
To accommodate Martin-Rhodes, the Steelers waived outside linebacker/defensive end DeMarvin Leal, a third-round selection in 2022. Leal, who suffered a season-ending injury in 2024, has appeared in three games this season, logging 17 defensive snaps and nine on special teams. Over 31 career games with six starts, he amassed 35 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, and four passes defensed. Leal was previously cut at roster cutdowns in August but rejoined the practice squad and was activated on September 17 due to injuries.
The injury to Ekuale prompted the Steelers to shift rookie Yahya Black to the middle as Benton's backup, though Black has not played snaps there this season, impacting defensive end depth. Esezi Otomewo and Logan Lee have seen limited action, with Otomewo posting a season-high nine snaps in the recent win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Potential trade targets included Tennessee's T’Vondre Sweat, whom the Titans retained as a building block, and Miami's Zach Sieler, who carried a high asking price. Large contracts for backups also posed challenges. Now, Martin-Rhodes will provide rotational depth as the Steelers prepare to face the Los Angeles Chargers' power running game this weekend. Pittsburgh ranks 14th in rushing yards allowed, 11th in rushing touchdowns allowed, and 15th in rushing yards per carry.