The Pittsburgh Steelers are bringing Elandon Roberts in for a visit after his surprising August release. They've seen enough to sign him and put him to work.
ESPN's Brooke Pryor reported Monday that a practice-squad signing is possible. It feels like Roberts' 1,000,000th visit. Pittsburgh has signed him twice, in March 2023 and Aug. 13, 2026, and released him once, Aug. 30.
Roberts, 32, played for defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in Las Vegas last season. That familiarity should help him contribute immediately against the run. I expect a practice-squad reunion, though nothing's official. Had Pittsburgh kept him there from September, he'd have been an obvious elevation candidate during Patrick Queen's struggles.
Elandon Roberts could give Omar Khan a reason to shop Patrick Queen
Queen has earned a 54.2 overall PFF grade, 59th among 72 qualifying linebackers, through five games. PFF also gives him a 46.6 coverage grade and charges him with six missed tackles. His 66.9 run-defense grade is more respectable, but his overall work hasn't earned untouchable status.
The Steelers' records credit Roberts with 147 tackles, 15 for loss and 3.5 sacks in 33 games during 2023-24. This preseason, he added 10 tackles and two for loss in two games. He hasn't played a regular-season down in 2026.
Roberts ended two New York Jets possessions this preseason, limiting a third-and-3 run and a fourth-and-3 completion to two yards apiece. Give him early-down and short-yardage work, absorbing blocks so Payton Wilson can pursue the ball.
Queen's coverage struggles still leave Pittsburgh needing an answer when opponents spread the formation and force linebackers into space. Roberts earning more work against the run wouldn't establish that he should inherit Queen's passing-down assignments. Wilson or an extra defensive back would still have to handle those routes.
The standard practice-squad elevation rule allows three game-day elevations. After the third, Pittsburgh could keep Roberts on the practice squad; he'd need a 53-man roster spot to play again.
Pittsburgh could evaluate him against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 18, New Orleans Saints on Oct. 25 and Cleveland Browns on Nov. 1, followed by a bye. The trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 4 p.m. ET.
If Roberts handles an expanded role through that stretch, I'd want Omar Khan to shop Queen. Khan would need a buyer, and Graham would need to establish who relays his defensive calls if Queen leaves. That could easily be Roberts, who wore the green dot in 2023 and in the 2026 preseason.
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