Even after all of the movement that the Pittsburgh Steelers made this offseason defensively, especially at inside linebacker by adding All-Pro Patrick Queen in free agency on a surprise three-year deal, there are still some questions that abound for the Steelers on that side of the ball and at that position overall.
That move to sign Queen was seemingly made to address the hole at the position after the injury to veteran linebacker Cole Holcomb midway through the 2023 season.
Holcomb suffered a significant knee injury in the first half of the Week 9 Thursday Night Football matchup against the Tennessee Titans and was the first domino to fall at the position from an injury standpoint. Shortly after Holcomb, Kwon Alexander went down with a torn Achilles while Elandon Roberts battled injuries too, forcing players like Myles Jack and Blake Martinez into the lineup.
With Queen now in the fold, the linebacker position seems to be in a better spot, but there are still questions about Holcomb’s recovery as he enters the second year of a three-year deal.
Speaking with reporters Monday in the pre-draft media availability, Steelers GM Omar Khan stated that Holcomb is doing everything he can to get back onto the field.
“Yeah, I can tell you Cole’s working extremely hard to get back. I don’t really have much, much to add on the timeline,” Khan said of Holcomb’s recovery, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “We’ve discussed this. It was a major injury, but he’s working hard and I’m optimistic about all the effort he’s gonna put into getting back on the field in terms of adapting.
“It’s no different than the other ones. I hate to sound repetitive, but if there’s an opportunity to add competition and improve the room, we’re gonna do it.”
The last time Khan talked about Holcomb came during the week of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. There, Khan stated that he wished he had a better idea of the timeline in Holcomb’s recovery, adding that it was just too early in the process. Nearly two months later, the Steelers are in a similar spot with Holcomb.
Khan’s comments during the Combine and now just ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft regarding Holcomb line up with ones that head coach Mike Tomlin made after the season, though Tomlin stated that the franchise hoped to have a clearer picture on Holcomb’s outlook around the start of Organized Team Activities.
Prior to suffering the significant injury, Holcomb was off to a great start in Pittsburgh.
After signing a three-year, $18 million deal with the Steelers in free agency, Holcomb had 54 tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two passes defensed and four tackles for loss, playing 447 snaps on the season. He graded out at a 64.2 overall from Pro Football Focus, including a 72.2 in run defense and a 55.2 in coverage.
Now, with Queen in the picture next to Roberts, Holcomb can be afforded time to come along slower in his recovery, while the Steelers can also potentially add more to the room, potentially via the 2024 NFL Draft.
If Holcomb can return to full health and play at the same level he did early last season, the Steelers’ inside linebacker room could become a significant strength for the franchise.
