4 biggest positional battles to watch at Steeler training camp in 2021

Linebacker

With Vince Williams’ recent retirement, the inside linebacker position suddenly gets very interesting. Obviously, Devin Bush is going to resume his role at the ‘Mack’ position, and he will rarely leave the field. Though Robert Spillane was Bush’s backup last season, I would predict that he would get the nod at Williams’ old role as the ‘Buck’ linebacker in 2021.

Still, there should be plenty of other snaps to go around and packages that will allow several young linebackers to get on the field. Last season, Marcus Allen saw 206 defensive snaps. Though he’s not built like Williams, he has speed to chase down the ball carries and could give the Steelers a spark off the bench. In addition, Ulysees Gilbert III – who landed on IR twice in his first two seasons – will finally have a chance to carve out a role with the team (assuming he can stay healthy.

The Steelers also spent a fourth-round draft choice on Texas A&M linebacker, Buddy Johnson. In all honestly, Johnson probably has the frame and skill set that resembles Vince Williams the most. However, he may be too raw to contribute on defense right away and may be limited to special teams. With three young linebackers who will fight for additional snaps, this will be a position to watch at Steelers training camp.

There are some other positions on the team with backup jobs up for grabs, but these four are particularly intriguing. Keep an eye on them as training camp opens to the public on July 28th.