Steelers Free Agent Analysis: Elandon Roberts
Position: Inside Linebacker
Experience: 9 Years (2 with Steelers)
Free Agent Status: Unrestricted
2024 Salary Cap Hit: $4,667,500
2024 Season Breakdown:
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t actively seek to make Elandon Roberts expendable last year—nor did he, for that matter. But they certainly invested in the inside linebacker position, even if that was less about Roberts than everyone else. It was chiefly the injury to Cole Holcomb, of course, that sent them scrambling for Patrick Queen. Less obvious was the decision to draft Payton Wilson, but that was about value.
Either way, the upshot is that Elandon Roberts played less in the Steelers’ defense than he might have otherwise. He only played more than 55 percent of the team’s snaps in two games, and he didn’t necessarily make the most of them. For example, he played 76 percent of their snaps in the Week 16 loss against the Ravens but made just two tackles.
On the other hand, Roberts made 14 tackles in the exact same number of snaps in the Steelers’ playoff loss to the Ravens. None of them were tackles for loss, though, and what good did that do? Roberts played about two-thirds of the snaps, but the Steelers allowed 300 rushing yards.
It would be foolish, of course, to put the blame on Elandon Roberts’ shoulders for the Steelers’ downfall. He wasn’t the problem—arguably not even a part of it. He is one of the few players who consistently does his job and knows what his job is. That’s one of the reasons he commands so much respect, both in the locker room and from the coaches. That, and the fact that he knows how to lay a hit.
Free Agency Outlook:
It’s hard to argue that it is essential the Steelers re-sign Elandon Roberts, even if they surely want to. They went out of their way to improve their inside linebacker room last year, especially in free agency. With the additions of Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson, they have their starters.
But the Steelers like to use three linebackers, and they like to have a thumper like Elandon Roberts. He is already on record essentially saying that he wants to retire here, and depth is still needed. The question, then, becomes price, since this is a business, after all.
When the Steelers first signed Roberts, they gave him $7 million over two years. At the time, they projected him as a possible starter, though they then added Kwon Alexander. Due to injuries, he played an even bigger role at the end of the 2023 season.
But his role declined, or at least wavered, last year as Wilson grew. And Wilson will only be a bigger factor in the Steelers’ defense next year, so how much can they pay Elandon Roberts? How much would another team be willing to pay a 31-year-old rotational thumper?
The Steelers have a long list of free agents this year, but not absolutely can’t-lose names. While it includes significant players like Najee Harris and Dan Moore Jr., they are not the team’s priority. The biggest question is the quarterback position, working to choose between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. There are some choice role players, but they wouldn’t fall apart if they lost the entire lot—minus a quarterback.
