The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2024 offseason with plenty of needs. Center, offensive tackle, cornerback, defensive line, and safety. For Omar Khan, inside linebacker is right up there on that list. Speaking with the media during the NFL Scouting Combine Thursday, Khan acknowledged that injuries have left the team with uncertainty at the position.
“The inside linebacker position, we have Elandon Roberts under contract,” Khan told reporters, including those from Steelers Depot. “Mark Robinson, Cole Holcomb had an awful injury. I don’t really have a timetable when he’ll be back. Kwon Alexander’s a free agent, but he also had a major injury. So it’s obviously a position that we have to address.”
Pittsburgh overhauled its inside linebacker room an offseason ago. Gone were Devin Bush, Robert Spillane, and Myles Jack. Brought in were Holcomb, Roberts, and early in camp, Alexander. The group improved, making splash plays the 2022 unit failed to achieve, and Khan’s moves looked shrewd and smart.
But injuries quickly washed away the Steelers’ inside linebacker group. Holcomb blew out his knee in Week 9 and though details of his injury were never made known, the fact Khan’s still unsure of when he’ll return months later is a discouraging sign. Alexander tore his Achilles tendon a week later, the second time in his career, making it hard to envision a swift return. Robinson failed to gain the coaching staff’s complete trust and by year’s end, the Steelers were rotating through a mix of Mykal Walker, Blake Martinez, Robinson while bringing back Jack for a playoff push.
Based off media interviews with our Ross McCorkle, Jonathan Heitritter, and Joe Clark in Indianapolis, the Steelers have formally met with among the top inside linebackers in this year’s draft: Clemson’s Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Michigan’s Junior Colson, Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper, and Ohio State’s Tommy Eichenberg. That level of interest suggests the team will look to address the position relatively early come April’s draft.
“I’ve said this since I got this job. I said, depth and competition are really important to me,” Khan said.
Pittsburgh valued its three-man rotation of Roberts, Alexander, and Holcomb last season. If Holcomb’s health remains in doubt, the only player the team has under contract and can count on is Roberts. It could mean spending a Day 2 pick on the position as the team looks to find its long-term starter, something the Steelers have failed to do since losing Ryan Shazier to his career-ending spinal injury in 2017.
