The addition of Joe Schobert gave Devin Bush the linebacker partner he's needed since he joined the Steelers. When Kevin Colbert selected Bush 10th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, it was because he has the potential to be an every-down linebacker and an X-factor defensive player.
But in his two years with the Steelers, Bush has been the only true cover linebacker on the roster, leaving him to do all the heavy lifting among the group when it came to handling faster running backs, tight ends and receivers that got matched up with them. Schobert can now be the best cover partner Bush's had, and let him focus on being just an athletic playmaker.
Bush ran a 4.43 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2019, which is the fifth-fastest official recorded time at a combine since 2012. That speed made him the Steelers' obvious cover option at linebacker who would face-off with opponents' top offensive talents who came over the middle.
But he also needed to be the team's premier run stuffer who could run tackle-to-tackle and bring down the NFL's most athletic running backs. His 109 combined tackles in 2019 was the most by any Steelers rookie since combined tackles began being officially tracked in 1987.
He hasn't just been a guy who needs a clear path to the ball carrier, as he's shown the ability to deal with offensive linemen and work his way to running backs. Here's a clear example from last season when Bush was one-on-one with the Texans' left guard who had a clear shot on him, but made it look easy when he made his way in to blow up the run play at the line of scrimmage:
That's a big part of being a top linebacker, but so is covering the field.
Bush's allowed completion percentage in the only complete season he played, 2019, was 72.9, the sixth-best of linebackers who played at least 341 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. That showed how quickly he was adapting to NFL coverage.
Those numbers improved when he allowed only 57.1 percent of completions when he was targeted in 2020, albeit in a season when he only played in four and a half games. Still, that completion percentage was the second best of all linebackers who played at least 228 snaps in 2020.
One thing I noticed when watching his tape was how whenever Bush got beat by a specific route from a specific player he would make sure he wasn't beaten that same way a second time. Against the Broncos he got beat by Noah Fant for a touchdown, but later had a key breakup when tried again.
Against the Texans, it was Darren Fells who he was assigned to cover and stop Deshaun Watson from throwing a touchdown. In a one-on-one situation, Bush put himself between Watson and Fells and broke up a pass that would've given Steelers linebackers fits in recent years:
But doing that all by himself can put a strain on a young 23-year-old linebacker finding his identity in the NFL.
That's where Schobert comes in as a partner for Bush. His 141 combined tackles in 2020 was fourth-most among all NFL defenders. While Schobert did have a missed tackle rate of 12.8 percent, which ranked 43rd among NFL linebackers who played at least 570 snaps in 2020, he still showed he could be a contributing linebacker at the point of attack against the run.
Watch this tackle where he deciphered the Vikings run play and put down Dalvin Cook in the backfield. You can see how smoothly he transitioned from reading the play to making the tackle on Cook:
Where Schobert's skills truly come in handy is in coverage.
Since 2019, Schobert's recorded seven interceptions, which is the most of any linebacker in the NFL during that time. That's where his skills can take the most pressure off of Bush by being another legitimate cover option in Keith Butler's scheme.
Make no mistake, although the Steelers traded for an experienced linebacker in Schobert, Bush is still the focal point of that group to scheme around as he represents the highest selected player in the NFL Draft by the Steelers since Plaxico Burress in 2000.
But Schobert does bring legitimate cover skills to the position. He doesn't have elite speed, as his 4.76 time in the 40-yard dash showed in the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine, but he does have cover skills that make him valuable in the middle of a defense.
Watch this play where he dropped back into coverage against Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph. Even as Rudolph got the initial leverage he wanted with his route, Schobert recovered and stayed in position to break up the pass:
Even when plays break down, Schobert finds ways to stick with his assignment and help his defense.
Watch this broken play against the Bears when Schobert had zone coverage in the middle of the field and had to follow the eyes of Mitch Trubisky while he was scrambling outside the pocket. As he broke towards the sideline, Schobert maintained focus on the play, knew where he was and made sure to come down with the ball in bounds to take away the Bears' chance of scoring a field goal at the end of the half:
One of the biggest things to remember about Schobert joining the Steelers is the different role he'll play.
With the Jaguars and the Browns, Schobert played a lot of defense as the definitive Mike linebacker in the middle of the defense. The Mike linebacker holds a great deal of responsibility as the primary linebacker in the middle of the defense who is the most likely to stuff the run and cover the middle of the field. It's a primary role in most 4-3 base defenses.
But the Steelers employ a base 3-4 defense and even when they're in the nickel they make sure to have two off-ball linebackers patrolling the middle of the field. That means he won't have to cover nearly as much ground as he did in recent years as he'll pair with Bush and the two can take on different assignments based on what matchups work best for the duo.
If offenses are trying to get a tight end matched up with Bush that doesn't work for the Steelers, Schobert could be an option to switch for that matchup to be better for the Steelers. On the other hand, if offenses try to match Schobert with a faster running back he might struggle covering in space, Bush can switch with Schobert in that situation as well.
Both being able to cover in the middle of the field opens up more options for Butler to scheme up defensive concepts that would allow either player to be a playmaker in the middle of the defense. It also puts two players who are used to running and hitting at a proficient level against the run to simultaneously help stop opposing run games like the Browns and the Ravens from getting established.
Either way, the pair has the traits and skills to be a unique duo we haven't seen in recent Steelers history as the NFL transitions to a more passing league. That could be a key to this defense remaining one of the top three units in the NFL.
