Buy Or Sell: The Steelers should re-sign Kwon Alexander regardless of his Achilles injury.
Explanation: The Steelers only signed the veteran outside linebacker shortly before training camp started. He wasted little time establishing himself in the pecking order, elbowing his way into significant playing time. Alexander also made significant plays leading up to a significant injury. Kwon Alexander’s significant history of them clouds his future, not just with the Steelers but in the NFL.
Buy:
Following Cole Holcomb’s injury, head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that he believed he had three starters at inside linebacker. In other words, he still had two left. That didn’t last long because Kwon Alexander tore his Achilles the next week for the Steelers.
We haven’t heard from him since. Presumably, he had surgery. A player can return to play the season after tearing his Achilles. And the thing is, it’s a low-risk move, perhaps even no risk. Alexander signed a Veteran Salary Benefit contract last year. He’s not getting any more this year.
It would make little sense not to re-sign him if there’s a chance that you could get him back on the field playing near where he was at a bargain. Alexander provided really solid play with good instincts. Maybe he won’t be ready to play right away, but the cost is minimal to wait.
Sell:
The Steelers already have Elandon Roberts and Cole Holcomb under contract as starters. Holcomb is also recovering from a major injury. Though there is speculation the team could move on, Pittsburgh tends to stand by its injured players. After all, he’s already under contract.
And Alexander’s injury history certainly should be concerning. He thought he was over it after making it through the 2022 season, but that was in a reduced role. Pittsburgh needs a more permanent answer. In the meantime, they have healthier stopgaps in Myles Jack, Mykal Walker, and Blake Martinez. Not to mention Mark Robinson.
The thing is, the Steelers are responsible for Alexander’s recovery anyway. Nobody is going to sign him before they have a good idea of his health. There’s no reason to sign him now. Wait until the end of his recovery period to make a decision. Only if he looks like he can play do you pull the trigger. Otherwise, you’re wasting everybody’s time and a spot on the 90-man roster.
With the Steelers’ 2023 season in the rearview mirror following a disappointing year that came up short in the playoffs once again, it’s time to start asking more questions. Questions about the team’s future in 2024 and beyond.
The rookie class of a year ago was, on the whole, impressive, but they need to step up into staple starters in 2024. And they likely need a strong influx of talent in both free agency and the draft yet again. In addition to a revisitation of the coaching staff.
These sorts of uncertainties are what I will look to address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, I will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
