Steelers Sign Gigantic former Lions Tackle

Steelers Obinna Eze
Detroit Lions offensive tackle Obinna Eze (65) blocks during a preseason NFL football game, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022, in Pittsburgh, PA. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)

The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing tackle Obinna Eze to their practice squad, according to a report by Jordan Schultz.

Eze, 25, is in his second professional season. The 6-foot-8, 325-pound native of Lagos, Nigeria, joined the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent coming out of TCU in 2022.

Eze spent the entire 2022 season on the Detroit practice squad without being activated for a game. He re-signed with the Lions for the 2023 season, but was cut on Aug. 27 at the end of the preseason.

Coming out of TCU, Eze did not test particularly well in the pre-draft process. He had slow agility numbers, with a 5.08-second short shuttle and an 8.2-second three-cone drill. He also only posted 18 bench press reps. His overall Relative Athletic Score was a 5.33 out of 10. Before his time at TCU, Eze spent four seasons at Memphis.

The Steelers are looking at a potentially long-term absence for left tackle Dan Moore, who suffered a right knee sprain in the team’s Week 4 loss to the Houston Texans. Moore has already been ruled out for the Steelers’ Week 5 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

First-round pick Broderick Jones is expected to start in Jones’ absence. Dylan Cook is the team’s fourth tackle. He was active in a game for the first time in his Steelers career on Sunday. Seventh-round rookie Spencer Anderson can play center, guard and tackle.

The Steelers also have one other tackle on their practice squad in former Dolphins and Bears lineman Kellen Diesch. The team does not currently have a vacancy on its 16-man practice squad, so it will need to make moves to clear space for Eze and wide receiver Denzel Mims, who the team also reportedly signed on Tuesday.

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