Steelers Sign Ex-Vikings Defender
A man who once was a Minnesota Golden Gopher and Viking will try on Mike Tomlin and Friends for size in 2025.
Steelers Sign Ex-Vikings Defender
The Steelers signed defensive tackle Esezi Otomewo this week, a former 5th-Round draft selection by the Vikings.
Steelers beat reporter Nick Farabaugh tweeted Wednesday, Day No. 10 of free agency: “The Steelers announce they’ve signed DT Esezi Otomewo. Vikings’ fifth round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He played the last two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He started two games for Jacksonville this past season.”
Esezi Otomewo’s Role with Steelers
With Otomewo, Pittsburgh will employ these interior defensive linemen in 2025, at least as of March 19th:
- Cameron Heyward
- Isaiahh Loudermilk
- Dean Lowry
- Keeanu Benton
- Daniel Ekuale
- Montravious Adams
- Esezi Otomewo
- Logan Lee
- Domenique Davis
- Jacob Slade
The Steelers own the 21st overall pick in April’s draft, which could also be prime territory for a defensive tackle if Pittsburgh is in the mood. Men like Kenneth Grant (Michigan) and Walter Nolen (Ole Miss) would fit team need and best player available at No. 21 for the Steelers.
Here’s Otomewo’s NFL resume since 2022:
- Minnesota Vikings (2022)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2023–2024)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2025)
Otomewo will compete for a roster spot this summer, and at first glance, he might face stiff competition. SteelersDepot‘s Alex Kozora wrote about Otomewo’s roster addition plus other Pittsburgh DT signees, “All three will bolster depth though the team still lacks a starter to play alongside Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton.”
“An early draft pick is the most likely path to filling that role. Oregon’s Derrick Harmon, Michigan’s Kenneth Grant (who I linked to Pittsburgh in my second mock draft), and Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen are all possible first-round solutions.”
Otomewo’s Bio
The former Gopher was plucked out of the 5th Round of the 2022 NFL Draft by Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, late-round fruit of trades with the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. The Draft Network called Otomewo “an intriguing developmental defensive lineman that offers prototypical size, length, and power to serve as a hand-in-the-dirt base end at the NFL level” leading up to the event.
Otomewo began to see modest acclimation in the Vikings’ defense as a rookie in 2022, appearing in 5 games and playing 89 defensive snaps. He was also on the field for 45 special teams plays. Pro Football Focus graded his small 2022 sample at 62.6.
But when roster trimdowns arrived, the ex-Gopher failed to make the Vikings 53-man cutoff and later ventured to Jacksonville. He lived on the practice squad for all of 2023 and was a promotion away from the gameday roster.
He received All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors in 2021. Otomewo was also the second Adofo-Mensah draft pick to depart the Vikings after offensive tackle Vederian Lowe was traded to the New England Patriots in August. He was the one man popularly forecasted by the Vikings fans to likely make the 2023 practice squad that ultimately did not happen.
The Steelers Defense
Pittsburgh’s defense ranked eighth per DVOA in 2024, a fantastic mark that doesn’t need too much improvement.
Steelers football rarely skimps on defense, so the draft could onboard even more defensive talent.
Pittsburgh has all seven draft picks available in April, unlike the Vikings, a team with just four because of last year’s Dallas Turner trade.
Steelers’ Free Agency & Offseason to Date
Pittsburgh has added a handful of free agents within the last 10 days, including Brandin Eichols (CB), Malik Harrison (LB), Kenneth Gainwell (RB), and Mason Rudolph (QB).
The Steelers have lost Kyle Allen (QB), Justin Fields (QB), Najee Harris (RB), Donte Jackson (CB), Van Jefferson (WR), D.K Metcalf (WR), Dan Moore (OT), Larry Ogunjobi (DT), Elandon Roberts (LB), and Mike Williams (WR).
Otomewo will turn 27 in December.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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