Positional preview: Linebacker's actually a strength

The Steelers expected to get more out of the inside linebacker position in 2023, but injuries made it another challenging year for the second level of the defense.

Now, after a splash in free agency and a potential steal in the draft, Pittsburgh's linebacking corps seems to be even stronger heading into 2024.

Welcome to the sixth installment of our 2024 positional preview, in which we will break down the roster to get you ready for that wonderful first training camp practice at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.

Throughout this series, we'll take a look back at how each position fared in 2023, how that position was addressed in the offseason and wrap up with how it looks heading into 2024. Of course, the roster can still go through changes between now and when it's cut to 53 players. But, this will offer an understanding of how the team is shaping up.

2023 IN REVIEW

With the 2022 season being a very disappointing year for the second level of the defense, Omar Khan completely revamped the inside linebacker position. Gone were Myles Jack, Robert Spillane and first-round bust Devin Bush, and in were Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts, both of which were signed in free agency. The only holdover was Mark Robinson, a seventh-round pick fresh off minimal snaps in his rookie season.

In addition, Khan signed veteran Kwon Alexander at the start of training camp to provide some more competition. This proved to be a valuable signing as Alexander did so well during training camp and preseason that he earned a job outright to begin the season. This gave Pittsburgh a formidable three-man rotation at inside linebacker, something they desperately needed in 2022.

The trio of Holcomb, Roberts and Alexander were a breath of fresh air -- a luxury, even -- that gave the Steelers much better quality in the second level of the defense. Holcomb served as the every-down off-ball linebacker while Roberts and Alexander filled in other needs based on what package the Steelers were playing in.

Holcomb was coming off some injuries in previous seasons with the Commanders, and was hoping to put those issues behind with him a solid effort. And through the first eight games of the season, Holcomb registered 54 tackles, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

But in that eighth game of the season, Holcomb was the victim of a freak accident. Keanu Neal tried to make a tackle on DeAndre Hopkins, but his leg whipped around and caught Holcomb's left leg under the knee, resulting in a devastating injury. Holcomb missed the remainder of the regular season.

The injury bug struck again the following week as Alexander, who had contributed 41 tackles, one sack, one pass defensed and one forced fumble, had his season ended early when he tore his Achilles tendon.

Khan and Mike Tomlin were forced to exhaust any and all options at inside linebacker after those two crushing injuries. What made it even worse was the trade deadline had already passed, so scouring the trade market to upgrade the position was no longer an option. Instead, Mykal Walker was claimed off waivers after the Raiders released him and eventually Tomlin and Khan coaxed Jack out of retirement for a reunion.

It was all patchwork, at best. Walker showed flashes of solid play, but still had far too many critical errors, especially in an embarrassing loss at home to the Cardinals:

Missed tackles like these on possession downs are backbreakers. And that's exactly what happened. Instead of getting the ball back inside two minutes of a half with all three timeouts, the Steelers' defense allowed the Cardinals to march 99 yards down the field to score. It was the pivotal drive in a loss that should have never happened.

In his second season, Robinson failed to really show any ability to become a consistent contributor. The effort was never lacking, but Robinson too often appeared to be a heat-seeking missile with a broken guidance system. Sometimes, it just looked like he was trying to hit the closest warm body, regardless of who it was:

Robinson lays a big hit here, but only on the guard trying to pave a way for A.J. Dillion, not making any attempt at the actual ball carrier.

The only constant at inside linebacker in 2023 was Roberts. Everyone knew of him as a veteran thumper, but his overall play made him a quality linebacker in all packages. All in all, Roberts led the team with 101 tackles, was second on the team with 10 tackles for loss, had two passes defensed and contributed 2.5 sacks. In 2022, Steelers' off-ball linebackers combined for just one sack.

Though he was never thought to be a great coverage linebacker and was known much more for his run defense, Roberts turned out to be quite solid in pass coverage. Even Pro Football Focus gave him a 69.9 coverage grade, far and away beating his career high of 53.6.

Roberts was a tad inconsistent in coverage, but showed the ability to make big plays every now and then. Perhaps none was more crucial or impressive than this pass breakup in the wild card loss to the Bills:

Overall, it was a rough season for Pittsburgh linebackers. Sometimes you get what you pay for. Maybe Khan should have tried to land some of the big-money linebackers in free agency such as Tremaine Edmunds or Lavonte David. But, more realistically, injuries truly derailed a group that was making good strides.

THE OFFSEASON

Khan could have gone into the offseason with the mentality to run things back with Roberts, Holcomb and Alexander. But, with the latter two coming off major injuries, there were no guarantees.

Once again, Khan was very active in upgrading the inside linebacker position. Only this time, he did shop at the top of the market.

The Steelers made their big splash in free agency in signing Patrick Queen to a three-year, $41-million contract. Queen had grown into one of the game's better linebackers over four NFL seasons, so adding a player of his caliber provided a jolt to a position that desperately needed it. But the icing on the cake was stealing him away from the Ravens.

It was a move that signaled a shift from what the Steelers had done to address inside linebacker. Obviously, this franchise has been desperate for someone to fill the very large shoes voided by Ryan Shazier when he suffered his career-ending injury during the 2017 season. Outside of trading up for Bush, Kevin Colbert and Khan chose to bargain shop when adding to the position. But, signing Queen sent a direct message that this team needed more from the second level of the defense.

Khan wasn't done adding to the room. With the 98th overall pick in the NFL Draft, which was acquired from the Eagles in the Kenny Pickett trade, the Steelers selected Payton Wilson out of N.C. State, who was coming off a season in which he won the Butkus Award (top linebacker in the country) and Chuck Bednarik Award (top defensive player in the country). Concerns from other teams over his medicals caused Wilson to nearly fall out of the top 100 in the draft, despite being arguably the most talented and accomplished off-ball linebacker in the class.

With the additions of Queen and Wilson, the Steelers had a completely new inside linebacking corps. The only question that truly lingered throughout the offseason was Holcomb's road back from a serious leg injury. Fortunately, when Tomlin addressed the media near the end off the offseason program, he provided the first shred of optimism, saying that Holcomb is trending toward being able to participate in training camp.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2024

Obviously, everything starts with Queen. He's the high-dollar guy for a reason. Though there is an argument to be made for several other off-ball linebackers over Queen, there are no true holes in his game. In fact, Queen gives the Steelers some things they've been truly lacking ever since Shazier went down.

The first thing that jumps off the page is Queen's ability to run sideline to sideline and attack ball carriers while doing so:

This is back from the 2021 season, Queen's second year in the league. And, yes, that's him running down Justin Fields to minimize a gain on the ground. 

The Steelers have needed a guy like this in the middle of the defense for a long time. Queen is an elite athlete with great speed. Couple that with a high football IQ, and you have a player like Queen that can make extraordinary plays like this while moving laterally. In today's game, with the way offenses deploy speed to test defenses horizontally, having a guy like Queen is a must. Plus, having that speed and IQ gives the Steelers a guy that can close faster on passes in the flat, which is something this team has mightily struggled with for a long time.

Expect Roberts to start out next to Queen in the middle, mainly because Holcomb's trajectory is still undetermined and rookies such as Wilson aren't handed jobs in July and August. But, I actually think Queen and Roberts complement each other very well.

I love this rep from Queen last season. It doesn't look like much, but that's what makes him special. He makes it look easy.

This is a great example of Queen showcasing his instincts in run defense, and using his superb speed and athleticism to make a phenomenal play. Many other linebackers could easily get washed away, trying to defend laterally along the second level and shoot a gap. That's what offenses are trying to do when running a zone concept like this one. However, Queen improvises and takes a different route outside the weak-side tackle and is able to get to Najee Harris for no gain on third-and-1, forcing a punt.

Roberts has exceptional gap integrity in run defense, which would free up Queen to trust his instincts and just play, not having to worry about overcompensating for anyone else. In fact, for those who put any stock in PFF's grading system, Roberts graded higher in run defense last season than Roquan Smith, who some say is the reason for Queen's emergence into a second-team All-Pro linebacker. There are plenty that doubt Queen can succeed without a guy such as Smith by his side.

A pairing of Queen and Roberts at linebacker gives the Steelers a superb duo at stopping the run. Ultimately, that's where everything starts with this defense. But, Queen's also more than capable in pass coverage, so that can also free up those in the secondary from not having to overcompensate for any shortcomings in front of them.

With Wilson, the sky is the limit. The reason he fell so low in the draft was due to a lengthy injury history and reports of him missing an ACL. But outside of those concerns, Wilson checks nearly every box of what NFL teams need from an off-ball linebacker.

First thing's first, Wilson is the most athletic linebacker the Steelers have had since Shazier:

RELATIVE ATHLETIC SCORE

Yes, it's a bit unfair to put these kind of expectations on Wilson. Shazier was a first-round pick that evolved into a guy worthy of consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. But, when you see Wilson do something like this on a football field ...

... you don't only forget about any missing ACL, but also can't help but salivate over the type of player Wilson can be. It's not every day a linebacker -- or any human being -- can hit 23.7 miles per hour.

Wilson pairs this freak athleticism and speed with football smarts and awareness. He's always got his eyes up, whether it be reading the run or remaining fixated on the quarterback when dropping into zone coverage over the middle. Wilson's a little undersized at 6-4, 233 pounds. But, his potential makes him worth the risk.

Should this group of linebackers avoid the injury bug this season, it could be the defense's key to unlocking another level. Not only is the position much better on paper, but it should also had positive benefits on the guys up front and the secondary. Anything that prevents Minkah Fitzpatrick from having to come down in to the box and keeps him roaming centerfield is good for a defense that has high expectations in 2024.

PROJECTED DEPTH CHART

• Patrick Queen
• Elandon Roberts
• Cole Holcomb
• Payton Wilson
• Mark Robinson

Queen and Roberts project to be the two main guys. Holcomb could leap frog Roberts should he completely move on from last season's leg injury. Either way, I think if Tomlin had his way, he'd have Queen, Roberts and Holcomb be that formidable trio in the middle, only better than the one he had a season ago.

I have Wilson starting off fourth on the depth chart. It's not because he's not capable. The Steelers think very highly of and are enamored with Wilson. But, I still believe Tomlin will be cautious with handing any significant role to a rookie. Maybe he'll earn a bigger role down the stretch. Lord knows the capability is there. But, just to start things off, I've got Wilson down the depth chart. 

I have Robinson fifth here just because the other four options are significantly better. I don't anticipate the Steelers keeping five off-ball linebackers, so maybe this is it for Robinson in Pittsburgh.

2024 STEELERS POSITIONAL PREVIEW SERIES

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver/Tight End
• Offensive line
• Defensive line/Edge rusher

And coming soon ...

• Secondary 
• Special teams