The Steelers lost Cole Holcomb to a grueling leg injury in their Thursday night victory over the Titans. It was a hard play to watch, and while it hasn’t been made official yet, Holcomb will likely miss the remainder of the season. This is unfortunate, as he was actually playing pretty well for this team.
The linebacker room was a focus of the team this offseason, essentially leveling the position and starting from new. While the moves on paper didn’t seem like huge deals, this group has been performing well this season. The team will need to figure out a contingency plan with Holcomb now out. Here are four free-agent linebackers the Steelers can sign to replace Holcomb.
The Steelers should start inhouse first
Let me make this clear upfront: the Steelers will almost certainly use their current options to replace Holcomb this year. It would be hard for a veteran to come in now and take over the defense from the shoot.
Kwon Alexander should be pegged as his primary replacement. Mark Robinson should also see an expanded role on defense as well. Once Minkah Fitzpatrick is healthy, he can allow Keanu Neal to shift into a hybrid linebacker role if need be.
A veteran should be added to keep the depth here strong. That said, they may not make it on the field right away. Again, Holcomb will be replaced by Alexander more than likely. That said, this team needs to still fill out their depth chart to make sure they are prepared for another injury.