Report: OLB Ola Adeniyi Failed Physical, Won’t Join Steelers

Free agent outside linebacker Ola Adeniyi, who reportedly had agreed to a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, failed his physical and now will not sign with the club, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Adeniyi was released by the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 12 and reportedly agreed to re-join the Steelers a day later, but apparently, an injury has thrown a wrench into that process.

Adeniyi missed nine games with the Titans with a neck injury earlier this season. He returned from that injury on Dec. 4 and played in one game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was listed as a healthy scratch for the Titans’ next game and then released the following week. It’s not clear if Adeniyi’s failed physical was due to that neck injury or another ailment.

The 25-year-old linebacker spent two seasons in Tennessee after signing there as an unrestricted free agent before the 2021 season. He first signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent out of Toledo in 2018.

Adeniyi became a trusted special teams player with the Steelers and a quality depth option at outside linebacker. He played 32 games in Pittsburgh over three seasons, recording 25 tackles, one tackle for a loss and three forced fumbles.

The Steelers have been searching for depth behind starters Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt, who is dealing with his third injury of the 2022 season. Malik Reed was a healthy scratch on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, as the team tried rookie defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal exclusively at outside linebacker for the first time. Jamir Jones is the team’s only other outside linebacker on the 53-man roster.

With Adeniyi failing his physical, it appears that will be the group the Steelers will take into Carolina for their Week 15 matchup against the Panthers.