After last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff and front office decided it was time for a fresh start at inside linebacker. Pittsburgh signed Elandon Roberts and Cole Holcomb to be the starters this season and in turn cut ties with all the other productive inside linebackers from last season. Robert Spillane and Devin Bush left in free agency and Myles Jack was released. Here are our takeaways from these moves.
History says this won't work
We’ve seen this one before. The Steelers have tried to bring in free-agent inside linebackers before. Myles Jack, Joe Schobert, Mark Barron, Jon Bostic and Avery Williamson are all recent free-agent additions who crashed and burned. What makes Holcomb and Roberts any different?
It might not be the players
Let’s be clear, we don’t think those guys we listed previously are bad players. This could simply be a case of a coaching staff that struggles to maximize the production from the inside linebacker position. If this is the case, it won’t matter who is out there.
Don't forget about Mark Robinson
In the last two games of the 2022 season, the Steelers got then-rookie Mark Robinson to get some reps and he was solid. It is assumed Holcomb and Roberts were signed to start but don’t count out an expanded role for Robinson.
Linebacker in the draft is probably not an issue
Now that the Steelers have invested heavily in the position, I wouldn’t hold your breath for a top inside linebacker in the 2023 NFL draft.
