It takes a special breed to play inside linebacker at a high level for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Swagger, attitude, a real chip on the shoulder. Physical as all get-out.
Former Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor believes that the franchise finally has that again at the inside linebacker with veteran free agent signees Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander.
Appearing on his “Bleav in Steelers” podcast with co-host Mark Bergin, Taylor stated that the Steelers have “generals and bullies” at the position once again.
“They’re getting back to exactly what you need at that inside linebacker position. You need a General, and you need a bully,” Taylor said to Bergin, according to video via Bergin’s YouTube page. “You need some guys that are just going to come downhill and make it hard on life for the opposing team. You need tone setters. So that’s exactly what E-Rob, Kwon and Holcomb bring to the table.
Some general guys, some real good instincts, especially with E-Rob and Kwon, athletic guys who have had that green dot on the back of their helmet. You have that green dot, you’re a leader of men. … I’m looking at thumpers, I’m looking at tone setters, I’m looking at guys that want to be bullies on the field. I feel like we’re back to those guys.”
After the tragic injury to Ryan Shazier in 2017 and the shocking retirement from Vince Williams right before the start of training camp in 2021, the inside linebacker room has largely been a mess for the Steelers.
Names like Devin Bush, Myles Jack, Joe Schobert, Robert Spillane, Avery Williamson, Jon Bostic and Sean Spence have passed through the room with very little success. Communication was an issue, as was playmaking and overall run defense.
They didn’t have that true, physical presence that Taylor talks about needing at the inside linebacker position, especially in Pittsburgh. Now, they seemingly have that with Holcomb, Roberts and Alexander — especially Roberts and Alexander.
Though they are new to the organization, they just feel like Steelers-type players.
Holcomb is a great communicator and will likely have the green dot for the defense. Throughout tape in Washington, Holcomb was that field general from the inside linebacker position, getting guys lined up properly before the snap. He knew what everyone was doing on every play. Roberts and Alexander are the same way.
Where Robert and Alexander will make their mark in Pittsburgh is by literally leaving their mark on opponents. They are the physical ones, the ones who fly downhill, dish out major punishment and do it over and over again. Pittsburgh has been missing that since Williams retired. They have it in abundance now, even with second-year pro Mark Robinson as a depth piece, too.
After trying to shift with the NFL game and get high-end athletes with great speed and at the ability to play in space at the position, the Steelers seem to have shifted back to historically what worked in the 3-4 defense: physicality and communication. That has Taylor fired up for what’s to come with the group, and should have fans fired up, too.
