With training camp just around the corner, it’s time to turn our focus to what is going on within each position, and on the roster as a whole. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be taking a closer look at some of the roster battles that we expect to see unfold over the course of training camp as the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare for the start of the 2024 season.
This year will see more competition than usual, and at some major parts of the roster. Topping the list is the quarterback position, though there is vigorous debate about that competition’s legitimacy. Beyond that, there is some unfinished business at wide receiver, cornerback, and the offensive line. And there are plenty of roster spots to settle beyond the starting lineup, some of which could result in trades.
Position: Inside Linebacker
Up for Grabs: Starting Job
In the Mix: Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb, Payton Wilson
I don’t know how many will realistically see this as a competition, but it includes some factors we don’t know. That starts with the obvious fact that we have no idea how Cole Holcomb is. Is there any realistic chance that he could be physically capable of starting for the season opener? If so, then the Steelers would surely give him the chance to play. He was their every-down linebacker before his knee injury, which threw the position into chaos.
But will we actually see a competition for the Steelers’ starting job at training camp? Obviously, Patrick Queen has one job locked down, but how will the other work? Is Elandon Roberts the starter, and Holcomb an insurance policy? And where does Payton Wilson fit in?
Holcomb established himself as a defensive leader for the Steelers during training camp last year, bringing that into the season. Roberts is also a great leader and a very good player, but also limited. Of course, we don’t know Holcomb’s limitations after his injury, either.
Payton Wilson is the sort of X factor here because he is probably the best player on the list. I honestly could see him fly up the depth chart and start for the Steelers with a great training camp. He is the kind of player who will be all over the place with pads on in practice. After all, he was one of the best players in college football last year. They drafted him because he was just too good to let him fall any further.
But are the Steelers willing to start a rookie inside linebacker whose only experience is training camp and the preseason? Well, they already talked about using him as a dime linebacker, and we have seen how those things can go. The “dime linebacker” can wind up playing starter snaps, with the “starter” taking on a lesser role.
