If healthy, what does the Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacking core look like?

LJ Fort is now a player who should be on the field. Leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers with four inside linebackers they will need to find roles for, moving forward.

Tyler Matakevich is the only player in the four-man rotation that can lose time. In fact, he really shouldn’t be on the field outside of run plays. Having him in coverage leaves a gap, and his inability to prove himself will leave him on the bottom of the depth chart.

Matthew Thomas remains a healthy scratch. He’s not yet been able to learn the playbook, and despite the potential shown in the preseason, he’s a liability on the field.

Which leaves Vince Williams, Jon Bostic and LJ Fort. For the first time this season, these three have presented a light at the end of the tunnel of inside linebacker struggles.

It may be the disguise of one good game, but the Steelers’ defense looks, well, good. From the front-seven to the secondary, this group of players was able to shut down one of the most proficient passing offenses in the NFL.

A lot of this started with a strong pass rush from T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward, but the Steelers’ unsung hero was LJ Fort. Steelers Nation raved as the linebacker totaled a sack, six tackles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.

But what excited Pittsburgh more than winning was the fact that they may have finally found an answer at inside linebacker. A player no one gave a chance heading into the season, but one that proved himself the first time he was given an opportunity.

Fort brings athleticism that can’t seem to be found in Williams or Bostic. A player who can drop into coverage when needed, and attack up the middle, Fort appears to be the answer for their versatile option in the center of the field.

What does this mean for the core moving forward? Well, if healthy, it means all three are going to be used.

Fort isn’t going back to the bench, and Williams isn’t either. Instead, you’ll begin to see a lot of Fort-Bostic and Fort-Williams combinations. Bostic and Williams will remain the starters, and will be used together for a chunk of the time. But Fort will begin to see a decent amount of playing time, especially during passing situations.

The rotation now becomes one that includes Fort. This wasn’t the plan moving into the season, even after Matakevich proved to be nothing special, but after one game, the Steelers have their three. When healthy, we’ll see how destructive this can be.