Now that the 2018 NFL Draft is in the books, and the roster heading into the offseason is close to finalized—though always fluid—it’s time to take stock of where the Pittsburgh Steelers stand. Specifically where Steelers players stand individually based on what we have seen happen over the course of the past few months.
A stock evaluation can take a couple of different approaches and I’ll try to make clear my reasonings. In some cases it will be based on more long-term trends, such as an accumulation of offseason activity. In other instances it will be a direct response to something that just happened. So we can see a player more than once over the course of the summer as we head toward training camp.
Player: Matt Galambos
Stock Value: Up
Who? Matt Galambos is a first-year inside linebacker that the Steelers signed after the 2017 NFL Draft, though not initially. A Pittsburgh product, he ended up being the team’s choice for inside linebacker on the practice squad.
He didn’t last on the practice squad, though only because he got injured. He was replaced by Keith Kelsey, who was signed immediately after the draft last year, and both young inside linebackers are returning for their second offseason in Pittsburgh hoping to squeeze onto the 53-man roster this time around.
Galambos at least feels that he is much better prepared to do it this time around. He spoke to reporters earlier this month during OTAs, and he said that he is more comfortable in just knowing what his job is supposed to be this time around, which is allowing him to play more freely.
He registered six tackles and also recorded an interception during roughly a full game’s worth of playing time during the preseason a year ago. He also recorded three tackles on special teams, which will be the best way for him to win himself a roster spot.
And the reality is that the inside linebacker position is pretty unsettled right now. Outside of the top three players—which are Vince Williams, Tyler Matakevich, and Jon Bostic—there is no clear number four right now.
The favorite might figure to be the incumbent, L.J. Fort, who has spent a few years with the team already, but the Steelers have had him on and off the roster during that time. rookie undrafted free agent Matthew Thomas has people excited.
But Galambos, and Kelsey as well, may stand as good a chance as any of winning that fourth spot at inside linebacker. And his chances would improve greatly if they kept five inside linebackers, which they have more often than not in recent seasons.
