The inside linebacker position has long been one of weakness for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since Vince Williams retired in 2021 and Ryan Shazier’s tragic injury forced him to retire, the corp hasn’t been the same.
Pittsburgh took a step in the right direction in 2023 by bringing in Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander. Unfortunately, injuries put an end to that trio, starting with Holcomb midway through the season.
Alexander is no longer with the team, but the Steelers addressed the need by signing free agent Patrick Queen and drafting Payton Wilson (no relation to Russ or Roman).
Mark Kaboly, Steelers insider for The Athletic, is all for the move stealing Queen from the Ravens.
“Patrick Queen likes to talk trash and speak his mind no matter who might be offended,” Kaboly wrote. “And he’s pretty smart, too.”
“Elandon Roberts might be the most underrated player on the roster. He will blow up opposing running backs, linemen, whomever, and love doing it.
As we all do, Kaboly expects Queen and Roberts to be a significant upgrade over previous inside squads. He gets a Vince Williams/Ryan Shazier vibe from the duo. “They come across to me as a Vince Williams/Ryan Shazier remake, and that duo worked quite well together.”
If observation becomes reality, the Steelers could be set — especially if they extend Roberts before his contract expires next spring.
