4 reasons Steelers unwise to bet on backups to replace Devin Bush

Vince Williams

At first look, Vince Williams seems like a curious addition to this list. He plays next to Bush as the buck linebacker while Bush plays mack. While Williams won’t shift spots like that, there is a chance he takes over as the communicator. Even if he doesn’t, we have seen in the past what happens when Williams runs with a below-average running mate.

After Ryan Shazier was lost to injury, Williams suddenly became the guy at linebacker. While he wasn’t a train wreck, the added responsibility certainly affected his overall play. He was exposed in coverage more often and he seemed to struggle to make plays as his focus was now on the entire defense more so than what he is good at. Williams is one of the best two down linebackers in the NFL as he can blow up runs and rush the passer better than most at the position.

If he suddenly is going to be the main guy at linebacker, he could be tasked with doing too much which could affect his role elsewhere. While it is tempting to rely more on the veteran, he has shown in the past that he can do more with less. If the Steelers plan is to put more responsibility onto Williams, it could lead to disastrous results similar to the post-Shazier defense.