Steelers Place Rookie Defensive Lineman on Injured Reserve

The Pittsburgh Steelers placed rookie defensive lineman Logan Lee on the reserve/injured list, the team announced on Saturday afternoon. Lee did not practice this week due to a calf injury and was ruled out for Sunday’s season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

In a corresponding move, the Steelers elevated wide receiver Ben Skowronek from the practice squad to the 53-man roster roster. Players are only allowed to be elevated to the 53-man roster three times during the season. Skowronek will serve as the Steelers’ fifth wide receiver, as rookie Roman Wilson is sidelined with a left ankle injury.

The Steelers drafted Lee with the second pick of the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft. Lee is the first Iowa player that the Steelers drafted since they took linebacker Mike Humpal in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Lee stayed consistent from his redshirt junior to redshirt senior seasons. In 2023, Lee started all 14 games at defensive tackle and posted a similar stat line to his 2022 season. He tallied 55 combined tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks, and three passes defended.

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Logan Lee at practice on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

In 2021, Lee found himself as a starter on the Hawkeyes defensive line as he started all 14 games of the season at defensive tackle. In his first season as a starter, Lee racked up 48 tackles, five tackles for a loss, three sacks, and one pass defended.

The following season, Lee stepped his game up as he started all 13 games at defensive tackle. As a redshirt junior, Lee collected 54 total tackles, including eight for a loss, three sacks, three quarterback pressures, three pass break-ups, and he recovered one fumble.

In total at Iowa, Lee logged 41 starts in his 43 appearances. He tallied 158 total tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, nine sacks and seven passes break-ups over his five years as a Hawkeye.

Lee made the initial 53-man roster as the team’s eighth defensive lineman.