Steelers Sign former Ravens, OU Tackle Adrian Ealy

The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed free agent offensive tackle Adrian Ealy, the team announced on Monday. 

Ealy, 23, had been with Los Angeles Rams earlier this offseason. He is in his second professional season out of Oklahoma. 

The 6-foot-6, 321-pound tackle spent the 2021 bouncing around the NFL, first by singing with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. Ealy didn’t make the Ravens’ initial 53-man roster, but was added to the Ravens practice squad on Sept. 1.

On Oct. 11, Ealy was suspended six weeks for violating the NFL drug policy for performance-enhancing substances. He was released by the Ravens on Nov. 23.

After that, he spend one week with the Rams, one week back with the Ravens and two weeks with the Green Bay Packers, all on the practice squad. He did not appear in any games in 2021.

A two-time All-Big 12 selection, Ealy was a two-year starter for the Sooners at right tackle. He is a native of Gonzales, Louisiana.

To make room for Ealy on the 85-man offseason roster, the Steelers waived tackle Jordan Tucker. Tucker joined the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in April and had worked with third team throughout training camp.

The Steelers’ offensive line did not perform well in the team’s preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday. Backup tackle Joe Haeg did not play in that game. His absence was not explained by head coach Mike Tomlin. 

The team made two other offensive line additions last week, claiming center Ryan McCollum and singing guard William Dunkle. The combination moves essentially re-made the team’s third-string offensive line, with one preseason game remaining to be played.

Ealy will have four practices this week to get acquainted with his new team before the Steelers play their third and final preseason game of the 2022 season at Acrisure Stadium against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.