Although the Pittsburgh Steelers already have had a very good offseason, last night they made another splash, signing LB Kwon Alexander to a one year deal. The addition of Alexander means the Steelers now have added another new linebacker to the team, and he will be in competition with other new signings, Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts, for the starting role. After practice head coach Mike Tomlin got a chance to speak about the Steelers’ newest addition.
“Really excited about adding Kwon Alexander to the group,” said Tomlin in his press conference which was posted to Twitter by 93.7 The Fan’s Jeff Hathhorn. “There’s a solid NFL player who with a lot of in-game experience. He’s got experience, but at the same time, he’s still, I think, 28 years old. And I think competition is an awesome thing. We don’t have any preconceived notions about a role. We’ve got some very capable guys at that position. We’ll put them in an environment like this and let them sort themselves out.”
With the addition of Alexander, a former Pro Bowler, many expect him to be a starter for Pittsburgh. However, Tomlin said he will have to earn it, which is very fair. While a talented player, Alexander has struggled with injuries in the past, playing two full seasons in his eight-year career.
In addition, both Holcomb and Roberts both deserve a chance to win the job. After signing with Pittsburgh in free agency it was expected both of them would be the two starting linebackers, but with Alexander that could lead to a change. Tomlin, though, isn’t married to a change, and is going to let the group sort itself out in Latrobe and in preseason games.
Alexander himself knows that there will be a competition for the starting role, understanding nothing will be gifted to him. In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today, he welcomed the competition.
“I’m happy to compete,” said Alexander in a video posted to Post-Gazette Sports YouTube page. “That’s part of the game. Those guys are some great players, and I’m happy to be there with ’em and we’re gonna work.”
Competition makes everyone better and with the addition of Alexander it may even push both Holcomb and Roberts to new heights. Although there are other linebackers not he roster, it was perceived as a shoe in that Holcomb and Roberts would be the starts. With Alexander all three will now have to fight playing time which should bring the best out of all three. After a very mediocre linebacker room this year, the Steelers linebacker room could look pretty good if the competition raises everyone’s game.
Probably the most important aspect of the addition of Alexander is that now the top three linebackers for Pittsburgh is Holcomb, Roberts, and Alexander (in any order). The Steelers have much better depth than yesterday morning. Yes, Mark Robinson can potentially be a very good player, but he is still raw and needs a little more time to prove himself. He flashed in his cameos last season, but if one of Roberts or Holcomb got injured, needing him to step into a full-time starting role would be frightening.
The signing of Alexander could be huge for Pittsburgh this season if he can stay healthy. A talented player, one of the biggest issues with him recently is that he can’t stay healthy. One of the biggest perceived weaknesses on the 2023 Steelers team has been the inside linebacker room, and with Alexander it looks a little better. Alexander likely won’t be an All-Pro this year, but his addition not only adds talent but also depth, which is huge in such a violent sport like football.
