The inside linebacker position for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been decimated by injuries this season, losing the likes of veterans Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander to season-ending injuries in back-to-back weeks in Weeks Eight and Nine.
That led to Pittsburgh signing former linebacker Myles Jack off the street to the practice squad, and signing veteran linebacker Blake Martinez off of the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad to the 53-man roster.
Now, the Steelers might need to turn to those two veterans in Week 14 and beyond after veteran Elandon Roberts went down with a groin injury Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, tried to return, and left after one additional snap.
On a short week, that’s a tough turnaround for any player, especially one dealing with a groin injury like Roberts is.
Fortunately for the Steelers, there is veteran depth there, though they are still trying to get up to speed and in football shape. As for the Steelers’ defensive coordinator, he’s still learning about Martinez out on the field, but with Jack, there is no doubt as a football player for the defensive coordinator.
“What I’ve learned about Blake (Martinez) since he’s been here, is he’s really sharp, really attentive. I think — and again, until you get him on the field, you don’t know,” Austin said to reporters Tuesday, according to the official transcript provided by the team. “I think he’s got a really good football aptitude, blends in well with our guys. All that stuff is positive moving forward.
“As far as Myles Jack, Jack’s getting back into shape. I know about Myles. We like Myles as a football player. Myles is — obviously, the things that have held Myles back are just he’s got long-term injury stuff, but as far as a football player, I have no doubt about him as a football player.”
The Steelers and Austin should have no doubts about Jack as a football player.
Last season with the Steelers, Jack was very good early in the season when he was healthy. He was a tackling machine and played sideline to sideline, holding down the green dot role for the Steelers in the process. But then, the injuries started to hit for a player who has dealt with them quite a bit in his career.
Jack injured his knee, and ultimately, he revealed during the season, had an in-season clean-up procedure on the ailing knee during the bye week. Though he technically didn’t miss time with the injury, he sat out of the New Orleans Saints game despite dressing, and he admitted he tried to rush back and was never the same last season.
Then, he tore his groin late in the year, taking away his athleticism and mobility. That led to his play declining significantly, which led to the Steelers benching him for Robert Spillane late in the season.
The injuries he dealt with last season, along with his price tag entering the 2023 season, ultimately led to the Steelers cutting him loose on March 16 this year as they started to completely overhaul the inside linebacker room in free agency.
Injuries brought him back, though. Funny how things come full circle.
As for Martinez, though the Steelers are still getting to know him and learning his strengths and weaknesses in real-time on the field with them, he will have an opportunity to see the field and help chip in for the Steelers defensively. Though the Steelers are still learning about him, there is not much of a concern with his abilities on the field, based on his career to date.
Martinez was a fourth-round pick in 2016 out of Stanford by the Green Bay Packers, and he went on to start 57 of 61 games during his four seasons with the Packers. In those four seasons, he recorded 512 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, ten sacks, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions. After his time was up in Green Bay, he signed a big free-agent contract with the New York Giants and got off to a fast start in the Big Apple, recording 151 tackles in his first season. But a torn ACL early the following season derailed his career.
Since then, he’s played just five games and previously spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders and Panthers before joining the Steelers.
He has been inactive the first two weeks with the Steelers in matchups against the Cincinnati Bengals and Cardinals, but with more injuries hitting the position, Martinez should have a chance to contribute Thursday night against the New England Patriots.
