The Steelers have signed veteran defensive lineman Dean Lowry as a free agent.
Lowry, 29, is entering his ninth NFL season, having spent his first seven seasons with Green Bay and 2023 with the Vikings.
The 6-foot-6, 296-pound Lowry was a fourth-round pick of the Packers in 2016 out of Northwestern who has started 84 games and appeared in 120 in his career.
Lowry is an athletic end with good length. He ran a 4.87-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2016 and also posted a 7.26-second three-cone drill and 4.38-second 20-yard shuttle, all of which are excellent for an athlete of his size. He also had 30 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.
At the NFL level, Lowry has been a highly durable defensive end in Green Bay's 3-4 defense before moving on to Minnesota in 2023, where he played more defensive tackle.
See photos of Steelers newly-signed DT Dean Lowry
Green Bay Packers defensive end Dean Lowry (94) in defense during an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022 in Green Bay, Wis. (Todd Rosenberg via AP)
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Dean Lowry (94) runs during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Monday, Oct. 23, 2023, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 22-17. (Scott Boehm via AP)
Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Dean Lowry (94) battles Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Pat Elfein (65) during an NFL Week 1 football game Sunday, September 13, 2020, in Minneapolis. The Packers won 43-34. (David Stluka via AP)
Green Bay Packers defensive end Dean Lowry (94) pressures the pocket as San Francisco 49ers offensive guard Laken Tomlinson (75) blocks during an NFL divisional playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. San Francisco won 13-10. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Green Bay Packers defensive end Dean Lowry (94) runs during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers defeated the Vikings 37-10. (Scott Boehm via AP)
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Dean Lowry (94) defends during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Minneapolis. The Chargers defeated the Vikings, 28-24. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Dean Lowry (94) reacts as he stretches prior to an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers, Monday, Oct. 23, 2023 in Minneapolis. (Michael Owens via AP)
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Dean Lowry (94) in action against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)
Green Bay Packers defensive end Dean Lowry (94) watches from the sideline during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Chicago. The Bears defeated the Packers 24-14. (Scott Boehm via AP)
Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright (58) and guard Ja'Tyre Carter (69) blocks Minnesota Vikings defensive end Dean Lowry (94) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Chicago. The Vikings won 19-13. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
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He had never appeared in fewer than 15 games in a season before injuries limited him to nine games in 2023, four of them starts.
Converting back to a 3-4 defensive end for the Steelers should be right up his alley.
While not a dynamic pass rusher – he has 15.5 career sacks – Lowry has been an above-average run defender for much of his career.
With the Steelers, he'll add veteran depth to a defensive front that includes Cam Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton, DeMarvin Leal and Isaiahh Loudermilk, helping offset the loss of Armani Watts in free agency.
