Pittsburgh Steelers will consider bringing in inside linebacker if needed

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 10: Todd Gurley
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 10: Todd Gurley

Inside linebacker is the biggest remaining hole for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and their quest to find the solution isn’t over yet.

Jon Bostic appeared to be the answer in May. The Steelers needed a replacement for Ryan Shazier, and finding one in the draft wasn’t a safe bet. So, they brought in a veteran coming off a promising season, who didn’t cost much.

By June, the team had a backup in the starting lineup, and everyone just said Bostic didn’t know the playbook, yet. Tyler Matakevich began to sneak his way into the minds of media and fans, having them believe he may be the answer the Steelers are looking for on the inside.

Now, it’s June. The team is still battling between the two. Bostic continues to fight for first-team reps when he’s clearly the better option, and less and less people are sold on Matakevich being a starting inside linebacker.

Fans and media aren’t alone in their worries of the position. According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, general manager Kevin Colbert is giving it a little more time, but will consider another inside linebacker if he needs to.

"“There are guys available and who knows?” said the GM. “Maybe over training camp we won’t be happy, but maybe we will. Let’s look at these guys first.”"

Pittsburgh doesn’t have many options left. Free agency, at this point in the offseason, is slim at linebackers. Gerald Hodges and NaVorro Bowman headlines the remaining players.

On top of slim pickings, the team’s salary cap is pretty close to dry. Right now, they have roughly $5.5 million to work with, but that’s for the 51-man team. Once training camp ends, they’ll have practice squad players to sign plus injured salaries to take care of. This leaves them pretty empty in terms of finding a free agent.

The team may be stuck with the crew they have. They saw something in Bostic when they signed him. Matakevich hasn’t lasted this long in the system for nothing, and if Terrell Edmunds and Marcus Allen are taking linebacker reps, this could be a position by committee to try and fill the void.

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