After waiting for an opportunity, the Steelers' DeMarvin Leal will get it due to Alex Highsmith's injury

Two years ago, then-rookie defensive end DeMarvin Leal suffered an unintentional position change when TJ Watt was injured in the Pittsburgh Steelers' season opener and missed the next seven games.

This year, Leal will once again be deployed at fullback while Alex Highsmith is sidelined with a groin injury.

Leal believes he is better prepared for the transition.

“I have been focused on this position since I got here,” Leal said Wednesday. “Now I have more opportunity to show it. I’ve been waiting for my opportunity to come along and we’re going to take it.”

Coach Mike Tomlin has ruled Highsmith out of Sunday's game when the 3-0 Steelers face the 1-2 Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Second-year outside linebacker Nick Herbig, who had a two-sack performance against the Los Angeles Chargers, is expected to make his first NFL start in place of Highsmith.

Leal will serve as the backup at both outside linebacker spots.

It's an opportunity to increase playing time that Leal didn't get in the first three weeks of the season, when he played 17 total snaps while being one of the most underused members of the defensive line rotation.

When it was mentioned that Tomlin said Leal was excited to contribute to the NFL's top defense, he smiled and nodded.

“In any case. That’s absolutely true,” he said. “I didn’t start this year just to sit around. Let’s get it.”

Leal hasn't played double-digit snaps in a game since Week 9 of last season.

As an outside linebacker, Leal has fewer people to compete with for playing time. On defense, he logged fewer snaps than backups Montravius ​​Adams and Isaiahh Loudermilk. In Week 3, the Steelers added a seventh defensive lineman, with Dean Lowry playing six snaps.

One difference for Leal from his rookie season is his weight. He estimates he weighed between 310 and 315 pounds this season, so he could also play in interior defense.

Leal weighs closer to 275 this season, thanks to a remodel he made in the offseason that allows him to be leaner and quicker on offense.

“It's about constantly rushing off the edge, getting into coverage and doing my job at full strength,” Leal said.

Despite losing weight, Leal is a better option than Herbig, who weighs 240 pounds. Highsmith is a reliable run-stopper, and in his absence, the Steelers could rely on Leal to counter Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, a former NFL rushing champion.

“I’m going to pull myself together,” Leal said. “As a defense, we will continue to do our job, which is to be the most violent and incarcerated group.”

Admittedly, Leal wasn't stuck last year when he didn't show the development Tomlin expects from his young players in his second NFL season. Leal fell out of favor and was inactive for four of the final five games of the regular season. He also didn't dress for the wild-card playoff game in Buffalo.

In August, defensive line coach Karl Dunbar gave a harsh assessment of Leal's preparation last year.

“He didn’t have the right temperament,” Dunbar said. “He wouldn’t hit anyone. He didn't know what he was doing. If you don't know what you're doing, you can't beat people. This year he’s come in and learned what we do and he’s taken on the front (seven) mindset that you want.”

Dunbar recalled that Leal was 21 and a junior at Texas A&M who declined to take advantage of the additional playing time made possible by the pandemic when he entered the draft.

“It’s his attitude,” he said. “He was always a sporty guy. He is more attentive in meetings and his productivity is starting to show.”

Leal realized a change was necessary if he wanted to justify the Steelers selecting him in the third round.

“I came here with a different mentality,” he said. “Different weight, different body.”

Now Leal gets a chance to showcase those changes, whether it's snapping at fullback or filling in along the defensive line.

“This guy has had a good team development process,” Tomlin said. “I’m just as excited to see what he will do with the expanded capabilities as I am to see what Herbig has done with his.”