Player: ILB Carson Bruener
Stock Value: Purchased
Reasoning: While not a defensive need, ILB Carson Bruener will be a boost to the Steelers’ special teams. Provided that he makes the roster, he might also take Mark Robinson’s job. The question is whether the Steelers see in him much of a defensive upside, though that’s for down the road.
The Steelers already have Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Cole Holcomb, Malik Harrison, and Mark Robinson at inside linebacker. They clearly didn’t need another one, yet they drafted Carson Bruener anyway. This might shock you, but they didn’t do it just because he’s the son of former Steelers TE Mark Bruener. He can actually play football and will have an opportunity to prove it in the Black and Gold.
Of course, he will exclusively, at least initially, see action on special teams. The Steelers drafted him in the seventh round for that purpose. They don’t need Carson Bruener to play defense with the stock they already have. But maybe down the road, if he proves capable, he could convince them to give him a chance. Even in a specialist role, perhaps, like at the goal line.
That’s not something we need concern ourselves with for the present, though. At the moment is the question of how he fits on the 53-man roster, provided that he proves capable. And, of course, whose roster place he takes. Queen, Harrison, and Wilson are locks at inside linebacker. Given that they offered him a pay cut to say, Holcomb feels safe as long as his play justifies it.
But Mark Robinson is also a special teams ace who delivers impact plays. That’s basically Carson Bruener’s ceiling, so how much sense would it make for the Steelers to do a one-for-one swap? Do they really think he’ll be even better on special teams? Do they see more of a defensive upside in him? What are the odds of them keeping both on the roster—potentially six inside linebackers in total?
With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract.
There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
