At this point last year, defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi was unsigned and trying to find a home after his deal with the Bears was scrapped by a failed physical due to a Lisfranc injury.
Ogunjobi eventually signed with the Steelers in late June and played well enough through pain that he earned a new three-year pact in Pittsburgh this offseason. He didn’t have to deal with rehab this offseason and said this week that he was able to train the way he wanted to train. Ogunjobi said that he’s “looking forward to hitting the goals I set for myself and being in the best shape of my life and seeing how that looks for me.”
His fellow defensive linemen like the view. DeMarvin Leal said the team sees “a scary Larry Ogunjobi” and Cam Heyward thinks everything is falling into place for the coming season.
“I see a more comfortable Larry,” Heyward said, via the team’s website. “I think we signed Larry a little bit later [last year] and Larry was coming off an injury. I just think he is healthier, and I am excited. He has a calm demeanor, but he works his tail off. I am excited for him.”
Having a more productive Ogunjobi as part of a front seven with the likes of Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Alex Highsmith would be a good base for the Steelers defense to work with this fall, so plenty of people in Pittsburgh will be hoping that all remains well on the health front in the months to come.
