Veteran inside linebacker Cole Holcomb remains on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list for the Pittsburgh Steelers and continues to try and work back to getting onto the field in 2024.
But for the Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, Holcomb’s return this season seems unlikely.
“I highly doubt it. And, right now, there is no reason to play him,” Dulac wrote Wednesday morning during his weekly Post-Gazette chat, according to the post-gazette.com.
Holcomb suffered the knee injury on a gruesome play last season on Thursday Night Football against the Tennessee Titans, ending his season. It might cause him to miss this season, too. The veteran linebacker who was signed ahead of the 2023 season on a three-year deal was playing well before the injury but hasn’t really been seen since.
Prior to his Week 9 injury, Holcomb was having a strong first season in the Black and Gold.
Holcomb had 54 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, 2 passes defensed and 4 tackles for loss, playing 447 snaps before getting hurt. 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.
In April, Steelers GM Omar Khan stated Holcomb was working hard to get back. Then in May, Holcomb stated he wasn’t worried about returning from the knee injury because he had full confidence in himself and his recovery.
In late July, Dulac stated that Holcomb wasn’t anywhere near ready to play, which largely played out as the Steelers placed the linebacker on the Reserve/PUP list ahead of the season. That move meant he had to miss at least the first four games of the 2024 season. That was an anticipated move after the team renegotiated his contract earlier this summer, creating a split salary clause.
Since then, Holcomb hasn’t been heard from, and based on Dulac’s comment in his chat, we might not see the veteran linebacker anytime soon. Nor do the Steelers need him right now with Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson and Elandon Roberts holding down key roles.
The inside linebacker room was completely rebuilt this offseason after being decimated by injuries last season. Only Roberts and Mark Robinson remained from last season with Khan bringing in Queen and Tyler Matakevich in free agency and landing Wilson in the draft.
So far, the inside linebacker group is playing some solid football. The splash isn’t there yet with the group, but that should come in time. That could make it even harder for Holcomb to get back into action this season, even if he’s healthy.
We’ll see what happens with the veteran linebacker moving forward. There’s a lot of season left and we haven’t even reached a full calendar year from the injury. But how Dulac is seeing it, it seems doubtful Holcomb will play in 2024.
