In a position group such as inside linebacker on the Pittsburgh Steelers featuring a number of new faces, competition should bring out the best in the new pieces battling for roles.
That competition was ratcheted up Saturday evening as the Steelers added veteran linebacker Kwon Alexander on a one-year deal two months after hosting him for a visit. Now, the Steelers will see Alexander battle with the likes of fellow free agent signees Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Tanner Muse and Nick Kwiatkoski for a role on the 53-man roster.
While the move to add Alexander three days into training camp could be viewed as a sign that the Steelers might not be satisfied with the group on the field at the position, Roberts is viewing the addition of Alexander as a positive, embracing the competition it will create, which will make the Steelers better in the end.
Competition breeds excellence, after all.
“I love competition. I hate to be feeling complacent,” Roberts said to reporters Sunday, according to video via 93.7 The Fan’s Jeff Hatthorn. “‘Cause sometimes you might miss something in your own development. So I love to be pushed, and I feel like that makes the team better when it’s a competitive practice every day.”
Roberts has the right attitude, not only for the linebacker position, but as a team leader defensively for the Steelers.
Though he’s a new piece to Pittsburgh, Roberts brings that intensity and physicality to the room. While he’s undersized and not the greatest athlete at the position, he’s been pushed his entire career since entering the NFL out of the University of Houston, carving out quite a career to date in the league.
While Alexander is a big-name signing and will undoubtedly push the duo of Holcomb and Roberts for a starting role defensively, Roberts isn’t viewing it as a negative, instead embracing the competition and the move, knowing it will only make him better.
It’s a great example of how to handle additions like that to the roster, whether you’re a veteran or a young player. Roberts handled it perfectly, as has left tackle Dan Moore Jr. this offseason. Competition brings out the best in players, and at a position that remains a massive question mark, Alexander’s competition should make Pittsburgh that much better inside.
