Ever since the Pittsburgh Steelers lost inside linebacker Ryan Shazier in 2017, they have failed to find an adequate replacement. Six seasons of trying but the NFL draft and free agency have yielded nothing in return.
Pittsburgh heads into 2023 with two new starting inside linebackers once again and we all have our fingers crossed this unit doesn’t hold back what is an elite defense otherwise. Bro Bible polled NFL staffers to ranked the top off-ball linebackers and to no one’s surprise, neither Cole Holcomb or Elandon Roberts made the cut.
If there is any comfort in the absence of the Steelers two newest free-agent additions, it’s that none of the three linebackers they are replacing made the list either. Myles Jack is currently the only one of the three who is unemployed and at this point I’d probably take him back.
The Steelers are banking heavily on Roberts and especially Holcomb to be the multi-tool athletic inside linebacker the Steelers need.
