Ex-Patriots DT Daniel Ekuale signs with Steelers
Since Mike Vrabel took over as head coach of the New England Patriots in January, there has been a lot of turnover on the roster, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Sunday’s news that defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers continued the narrative that Vrabel has set out to personalize his roster for the Patriots.
Ekuale was a solid piece in New England, but not a major contributor. He was primarily a rotational interior defender during his four-year tenure, but he played 16 games in 2024 and started all of them. He amassed 52 tackles to go with a sack and three QB hits.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s unlikely losing Ekuale to free agency will significantly hinder the Patriots’ front-seven — especially with all their new signings in that area. However, it does speak to how much the defense has changed in the short time that Vrabel has been at the helm.
The Patriots have made five notable free agency signings, as of this writing on Monday — four of which on the defensive side of the ball — and many of whom have connections to Vrabel or his assistants. Ekuale appears to be another example of a player that was not connected to Vrabel, nor did he necessarily fit in the system, so it was going to be time to move on.
Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore at Northeastern University studying communications and media studies. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X @LukeGraham05.
