That ILB Cole Holcomb’s season-ending injury leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers with “only” two starters at the position is bad enough. His absence also leaves the entire position group with only three players, at least on the 53-man roster.
With the roster maxed out for the time being, there is no definitively saying that they will make a move to add somebody else. But one prime candidate for that spot could be Mykal Walker, a veteran fourth-year player whom they added to their practice squad on Oct. 30. A 2020 fourth-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons, he has 1,347 defensive snaps behind him.
“Right now, I couldn’t say we have great confidence because I’ve got to figure out what he knows and we’re starting to see that this week”, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said of Walker and the potential for him to be promoted to the 53-man roster, via transcript provided by the team’s media department.
“Yesterday we got a chance to see him in there with some regular reps and not card team reps as we were getting used to him, so I have a better understanding or idea of him, but he has been a starter in this league”, he added.
In other words, he did get promoted following Holcomb’s injury. Rather than practicing against the starting offense emulating an opposing player to help the Steelers prepare for the next team they’re facing, he ran with the regular defense, one would imagine alongside Mark Robinson with the second team. Considering he’s barely been here a week, that’s not insignificant.
Walker started six of 16 games as a rookie for the Falcons back in 2020, seeing a career-high 12 starts last season, where he accrued more than half of his playing time. He has 187 career tackles, including 107 during the 2022 season with four tackles for loss and a sack.
The Fresno State product also has three career interceptions, including one that he returned for a 66-yard touchdown in 2021. He has produced one forced fumble and has one fumble recovery, with 11 total passes defensed, so his numbers indicate a well-rounded game with some explosion potential.
“He’s made a lot of tackles. He’s played football”, Austin assessed his latest weapon. “That’s comforting in that way. How he adapts to our system and the things that we’re doing, that always is a matter of time and how fast a player gets it”.
Now, the Steelers have no immediate need for him to contribute. They still have Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander in the starting lineup, although Roberts showed up on the injury report yesterday. Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette indicated that he doesn’t see the veteran missing Sunday’s game.
While there is an easy roster spot to open now that RB Anthony McFarland Jr. is back by cutting RB Godwin Igwebuike, the Steelers don’t have to do anything just yet. Walker can be elevated from the practice squad for three games before he has to be signed to the 53-man roster, if they feel compelled to dress four linebackers for games.
