No position for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been hit harder by injury than inside linebacker this season, and the major body blows have come in the last two weeks, leaving the Steelers perilously thin at the position.
In Week Nine against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football, Cole Holcomb went down with a serious knee injury late in the first quarter and was lost for the season. Then, on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium against the Green Bay Packers in Week 10, the Steelers lost Kwon Alexander to a reported torn Achilles in the first quarter.Â
Now, the Steelers are down their top two guys and have two major holes to fill at the position entering the stretch run.
Though there’s no clear solution for how to even attempt to plug some of the holes, Pittsburgh does have some experienced depth with which to work.
Mykal Walker, who was signed to the practice squad on Oct. 30, has 20 career NFL starts and had 107 tackles last season for the Atlanta Falcons before bouncing around the league this season on practice squads.
His number might be called now with the Steelers depleted at inside linebacker. Should his number be called, he said he’ll be ready.
“I’ve always been that guy who had to wait and scrap and fight to get to the top. If my opportunity is called, I’ll be ready,” Walker said to reporters from inside the locker room at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side, according to a tweet from ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
Prior to signing with the Steelers on Oct. 30, Walker had worked out for the team in early September but did not sign with the team. There was obvious interest there, which allowed the Steelers to circle back on the former Atlanta starter.
A fourth-round pick of the Falcons in 2020 out of Fresno State, Walker appeared in 49 games, making 20 starts for Atlanta. To date, he’s recorded 187 tackles with one sack and three interceptions.
He last played in 2022, starting 12 games for the Falcons. He notched 107 tackles with two picks as he logged nearly 800 defensive snaps. The experience is there in the NFL, and he’s been productive.
That experience and productivity should help him if his number is called in Pittsburgh moving forward.
With the Steelers depleted at inside linebacker, they’ll have to call upon a couple of new faces at the position to provide depth for holdovers Elandon Roberts and Mark Robinson. Walker is a logical name, as is fellow practice squad linebacker Tariq Carpenter, who was elevated to the Active/Inactive roster for the matchup against the Packers.Â
Now that he’s up to speed and gaining more comfort in the system, that could lead to an opportunity for Walker, which could be part of the solution the Steelers are seeking at the position after the injuries.
