Steelers consider Jonathan Marshall valuable enough to keep despite being locked in as DT |

The Pittsburgh Steelers brought in Jonathan Marshall in the middle of the 2022 season to fill out an injury-plagued group. Marshall is a true nose tackle who has the explosiveness and power to be an effective run-stopper but hasn’t put it all together yet.

Even while at the University of Arkansas, Marshall showed his elite potential at times but struggled at other times. Coming out of college, Marshall’s 36 reps off the bench were considered elite and he performed above average on his speed tests. His Relative Athletic Score was 9.99 out of 10.

He spent most of his time playing a true zero technique and was used sparingly as a 4i during his time as a Razorback. In his 76 defensive snaps with the Jets in 2021, Marshall was in the wrong position for a nose tackle, as he played 64 of those snaps over the B-gap.

What kept Marshall in Pittsburgh after signing was, of course, his solid performance as a reserve player, but he also quickly learned the defense’s playbook due to the similarities to the Jets’ defense at the time.

“To be honest, they’re all pretty similar,” Marshall said after joining the team in 2022. “With the Jets, it was about going out and attacking there. But it’s the same here. It’s about the man instead of the area.”

Marshall once again has to face some very good talent on the Steelers defensive line, and the numbers don’t support Marshall making the 53-man roster after training camp. With the emergence of Keeanu Benton and the re-signing of Montravius ​​Adams, it looks like the Steelers will enter 2024 with the same two nose tackles.

Despite his athleticism, his only real chance to play for the Steelers would be as a nose tackle, and for at least the next two seasons, the team has the right people for that role. Still, the team values ​​Marshall’s potential and experience, as he lasted the entire season on the practice squad in 2023, which is a rarity.

If all else fails, Marshall will likely end up back on the Steelers’ practice squad for the 2024 season and would be one of the top options in case of injury, which is likely to be the case given the group of veterans ahead of him.

91 • Jonathan Marshall, defensive tackle, Arkansas
1.90 m, 140 kg, 26 years old, 4th season

Acquired: The Steelers signed Marshall from the New York Jets’ practice squad on December 14, 2022, after injuries decimated the Steelers’ defensive line last season.

Last season: Jonathan Marshall spent the entire 2023 season on the Steelers practice squad and was not promoted once during the season.

Steelers defensive tackle Jonathan Marshall works out at Steelers practice on December 28, 2024 — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Career: The New York Jets selected Marshall 207th in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Marshall was released by the Jets before his rookie season, but was re-signed to the team’s practice squad the next day.

Marshall was elevated to the Jets’ active roster prior to the team’s Week 4 game against the Tennessee Titans. In that game, he recorded nine defensive snaps but failed to record a tackle. Marshall’s next appearance was in Week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles, when he played 19 defensive snaps. Marshall recorded his first NFL tackle and quarterback pressure in Week 15 against the Miami Dolphins. He made another appearance in Week 17, when he recorded his second tackle of the season.

Marshall began the season on the Jets’ practice squad and was not named to the team for any of their games.

The Steelers decided to add Marshall to their active roster after numerous injuries occurred on the defensive line, which forced Cam Heyward to play as nose tackle.

The Steelers listed Marshall as inactive during his first week with the team, and he did not play for the rest of the season.

In his career, Marshall has played in four games and recorded two total tackles and one quarterback pressure.

University: Marshall was considered a promising young player after high school and chose to attend the University of Arkansas. He redshirted his first season as a Razorback and sat out the entire 2016 season.

In 2017, Marshall played in a rotation role but appeared in 12 games and played 160 defensive snaps. He finished his redshirt freshman year with six total tackles and half a tackle for loss.

Marshall remained in a rotation role in 2018, appearing in 11 games and making 13 total tackles. He played a total of 286 defensive snaps and 77 special teams snaps.

As a redshirt junior in 2019, Marshall played 311 snaps on the defensive line and finished with 17 combined tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, half a sack and three pass breakups.

In his senior year at Arkansas, Marshall started all 10 games on the defensive line and set career highs in several categories. He finished the year with 35 combined tackles, one sack and 6.5 tackles for loss, as well as a pass defense and a forced fumble.

In his college career, Marshall appeared in 45 games and collected 71 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. The reason for his low sack numbers is because he played a lot at the nose tackle position and was primarily a run stuffer.

Salary cap and future: Marshall signed with the Steelers midway through the 2022 season and is tied to the team through the end of the 2023 season. He will cost $940,000, which is his base salary, as he has no additional bonuses attached to his contract. Marshall will become an exclusive agent with no rights after this season.

The rest of the 90: