The Steelers had one of the worst inside linebacker groups in the NFL a season ago, but new acquisitions could change that. Here is how I graded them heading into 2019.
The Steelers linebackers were hard to watch in 2018. Though Vince Williams was a solid contributor against the run, he was less than desirable against the pass.
Jon Bostic was even worse last season. The Steelers tried to hire a stopgap player to help fill the void left by Ryan Shazier, but Bostic did not pan out. In fact, he was just the 63rd rated linebacker by Pro Football Focus a season ago – earning a score of 59.6 in 2018.
Enter Devin Bush, Mark Barron, and a pair of late round rookies, and the Steelers linebackers look much different in 2019. Here’s how I have them graded prior to the start of the season:
Devin Bush
Devin Bush is an extremely dynamic player at the linebacker position. Not only does he possess about twice the athleticism of any linebacker on last year’s roster, he is also a very good leader.
Bush was a two-time team captain at the ages of 19 and 20 years old, and was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year this past college football season. Bush will slide into a starting role at Mack linebacker from the gate, and be an obvious improvement over Jon Bostic.
Vince Williams
Williams was an excellent former 6th round draft choice in 2013, and has vastly outplayed his draft status. However, Williams lacks the athleticism and hip flexibility to ever be a great player in coverage.
Vince does his damage going north and south, and has proven to be a solid blitzer. He was the benefactor of being able to start as a rookie, and has played just well enough to hold onto his job all this time.
Mark Barron
To be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of the Mark Barron signing, and I thought the Steelers overpaid for a very average linebacker. Mark Barron graded out worse than Jon Bostic last year, according to Pro Football Focus, and was just the 76th ranked linebacker in the league.
Though Barron has range and athleticism, there would be a massive drop in play if he had to fill in at Mack for Devin Bush. Maybe Barron turns things around, but he really hasn’t been good in a number of years now. At nearly 30 years old, he’s not getting any better.
Tyler Matakevich
Tyler Matakevich is a player that nobody expected to make it this far. As a former standout at Temple, Matakevich nearly went undrafted due to his lack of size, strength, and athleticism.
However, ‘Dirty Red’ has been a special teams star, who goes all out on every play. He’s not the answer to ever start at linebacker, and his roster spot isn’t guaranteed this year with new talent in the facility.
Sutton Smith
Sutton Smith is a player who could be nipping at the heals of Matakevich this season. Though it is possible that they could keep both, Smith and Matakevich will do similar thing for the Steelers. Both will be asked to make their mark on special teams.
Smith, however, possesses superior athleticism and provides more position flexibility. He was a absurdly productive edge rusher in college who will likely attempt a transition to inside linebacker for the Steelers.
Ulysees Gilbert III
Gilbert is a player who is likely on the outside looking in. Though he too was athletic and productive in college, he was the 8th player selected of nine draft choices by the Steelers this year, and played a low level of competition at Akron.
A lot can be done between now and final cuts, so Gilbert will be given ample opportunity to make his mark. If he makes the team, he will most likely be a reserve Mack linebacker, who will need to stand out on special teams.
Overall linebacker grade: B-
To be honest, this group was probably bordering on an ‘F’ just a season ago, but snatching Devin Bush is going to make a world of difference. I graded out Bush as my 7th overall player in the daft in 2019. I had similar grades on Devin Bush, Devin White, and Roquan Smith coming out of college, and I’m confident that he will be the player they have been searching for.
Outside of Bush, however, Vince Williams is just average as the Steelers 2nd best linebacker on the roster. Pittsburgh also lost L.J. Fort last season, who proved to be a solid contributor down the stretch. The additions of Mark Barron, Sutton Smith, and Ulysees Gilbert should be solid acquisitions, and at least one is likely to turn into a good rotational piece.
It’s hard to say for sure how the Steelers linebackers will fare against the rest of the league in 2019. However with Devin Bush leading the charge, I’m confident that this group will be an improvement over last season from day one.