It appears as though the Steelers are set to roll with what they at inside linebacker which could prove disastrous if no one can adequately replace Bush
Devin Bush tearing his ACL was an unfortunate injury for the Steelers and one that will likely cause a few concerns on defense going forward. While the Steelers have quite a few options on their bench, it seems like a hole that could be best filled with an outside option. Now, this doesn’t mean forcing an outside option into a starting role like what the Steelers did with Sean Spence a few years ago. This was a disaster, and the Steelers’ refusal to play L.J. Fort was a mistake that cost them wins.
It appears as though the Steelers are set to do the opposite though, and not bring in a single body at the position. This can lead to equally bad results as if the current options on the roster fail to make an impact, it could force the Steelers to overspend on a trade or plug a free agent in with little time for them to acclimate. I wrote recently about a few players who would make sense to be brought in this week so they can learn the defense, yet it appears as if no significant move will be made there.
While one of the options on the roster could fill in with little disruption, adding a new body to the room is still safe. Considering the veteran spots on the practice squad, the Steelers could at the very least add a body there. If the backups falter this week, the Steelers will be behind on replacing Bush which could lead to a string of losses.
The Steelers’ current in-house options are all risks in replacing Bush, and the Steelers are unwise for banking on them to produce without adding insurance. All of this said, here are the reasons each linebacker candidate is a risk 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.
Ulysees Gilbert
Ulysees Gilbert is hard to figure out. Entering the draft, he had similar athletic traits to Bush, meaning that on paper, he appears to be the most logical in-house fit to replace him. Even better, last year during the preseason he played extremely well, and he continued that solid play on special teams before an injury ended his rookie year. With all of this backing him up, why wouldn’t Gilbert be the “next man up?”
Well, the Steelers don’t seem as high on Gilbert as the fans do since he was stuck on the bench for most of the year so far. He has only been active for one game, but he only saw special teams’ stats then. Perhaps they saw some issues with him in training camp or it could be due to a large amount of talent on special teams that have caused him to not see the field. This isn’t to say he couldn’t fill in, but he is as unproven as they come.
Given the Steelers’ decision to keep him on the bench early on, it seems unlikely he suddenly makes the move to starting linebacker. That said, out of all of the in-house options, Gilbert seems like the player that makes the most sense to replace Bush. For now, he will almost certainly see a hat on game day now and may see some defense snaps down the road. He is unproven though, making him a risk to step in as a starter on the defense.
Marcus Allen
While there is a risk in assuming any of the backups could instantly come in and start, Marcus Allen far and away would be the most fun to watch. There were rumors of conversion since he was drafted due to his hard-hitting style, but the Steelers finally gave him some snaps at linebacker in the offseason. As well, he is now on the depth chart as a linebacker, likely signifying his conversion to the position.
Given the success former safeties like Mark Barron and Deone Bucannon had with such a conversion, Allen could provide the best solution to fill in for Bush. As well, as a former safety, Allen has the best athleticism out of the backups, which could help replace the speed lost now that Bush is out. The biggest issue is that he has played 18 total defensive snaps, and all of those came in his rookie year. In addition, Allen was struggling to even make the roster before this year, signifying his struggles as a player.
Allen is the most unique option to fill in, and he may be the most likely to see snaps on passing downs going forward. While Allen has no experience as a linebacker, a trial by fire may be just what he needs to showcase his overall talent. Keep an eye on him as the season continues, because he could find a role with the team on dime and nickel defense.
Robert Spillane
Now the Steelers golden boy, Robert Spillane has ascended from practice squad player to sleeper starting linebacker. While the hype is well deserved given his physical play last Sunday, there are certainly reasons to be concerned about him starting going forward. Oddly enough, Spillane has more of a buck build, but he looked okay against the Browns. That said, given the overall struggles Cleveland had, this may not be a true test for Spillane.
As well, he is going from a special team’s player to supposedly the signal-caller for the defense. That kind of jump isn’t easy, and it won’t be surprising if he struggles in that role. As well, he isn’t a notable athlete which could cause issues playing from sideline to sideline. Spillane isn’t destined to fail by any means but simply saying he will be fine because he played well against a team that got crushed is unwise.
This week will be a true test for Spillane, and it will likely determine his future as a starter. Given his physical limitations, there is plenty of reason to be concerned with Spillane, and the Steelers would be wise to try out the other two backups in passing downs given their more athletic styles. He is a feel-good story right now, but that won’t mean much on Sunday if he is getting trampled by the best running back in football.
While it does make sense for the Steelers to try some of their current backups at starting linebacker before relying on a veteran, there is an inherent risk with every option. Ideally, the Steelers will be able to plug one of these players in and the defense won’t skip a beat. If the unit falters though, it will make the decision not to add an outside option even more maddening.