Do the Steelers have (or need) a credible fourth outside linebacker with Markus Golden’s retirement?
The Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed Markus Golden just a short time ago—and then he promptly retired. The veteran pass rusher warned in his first comments to the media that he felt retired during his unemployment. Now he is retired for real, but where does that leave the Steelers?
Pittsburgh signed Golden after David Perales suffered an injury, phoning the veteran during training camp. They still have Jeremiah Moon, Kyron Johnson, Jacoby Windmon, and Julius Welschof, the most notable names vying for the Steelers’ fourth outside linebacker spot.
Of course, the Steelers have T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig topping their depth chart already. That is a strong trio on paper, and they haven’t really felt compelled to bolster the room. Teryl Austin said he doesn’t feel that comfortable in the depth—but added that he never does. Ultimately, though, who will stand out?
Perhaps Kyron Johnson has the edge. He already spent time on the Steelers’ 53-man roster last year and logged a significant number of snaps on special teams. The fourth outside linebacker is going to need to do that as his primary job, so there you go.
But do the Steelers even need to carry a fourth outside linebacker on the 53-man roster? This is a year in which they may have an abundance at several different positions, and they will have to cut corners somewhere. Even at inside linebacker, they could have five with Tyler Matakevich and Mark Robinson for special teams. And we could see up to 11 or 12 players pushing for spots in the secondary or seven on the defensive line. Meanwhile, Arthur Smith has about 25 tight ends and fullbacks he wants to stash somewhere.
I wrote after the Steelers signed Markus Golden that he does not have a guaranteed roster spot. He wasn’t going to play special teams, after all, so he could have just been a weekly scratch—perhaps they let him know that, and that’s why he retired. Now the Steelers have less established options to work through, but really, they don’t need to pick one. Anybody who would make the 53-man roster will probably clear waivers and land on the practice squad.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a first-round playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they exit early or miss the playoffs altogether. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? How will the team continue to address the depth chart?
The Steelers are in training camp and the preseason and the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
