4 moves that would turn Steelers' inside linebacker unit into one of the NFL's best

1) Add depth to the inside linebacker corps with a mid-round draft pick or additional free agent

Besides the inside linebackers previously mentioned, there are also a handful of others who could contribute immediately after being drafted on days two and three of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Iowa’s Jack Campbell, Washington State’s Daiyan Henley, Alabama’s Henry To’oTo’o, and Texas’ DeMarvion Overshown will likely be among the Steelers’ mid-round targets if a starting caliber free agent isn’t signed or if Jack is released.

Campbell (6-5, 243) is huge in his own right but doesn’t quite have the speed (4.70 40-yard dash) that the upper tier has. The 2022 Butkus Award winner is a gamer though, as evidenced by his 299 total tackles (139 solo), 12.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, 10 passes defensed, five interceptions, and three forced fumbles over his 34-game career with the Hawkeyes.

While Henley (6-2, 232) is smaller than the aforementioned, he’s still bigger than anyone who saw snaps on the inside for the Steelers last season. He was a senior transfer for Wazzu who played six years of college ball due to the NCAA giving an extra year of eligibility due to COVID.

He capped off his collegiate career with 106 total tackles (54 solo), 12.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, one pass defensed, one interception and three forced fumbles for the Cougars last season. Henley runs a 4.55 in the 40-yard dash and could very well move up the draft boards if he tests well at the combine.

To’oTo’o (6-2, 225) and Overshown (6-4, 220) also have 4.5 speed and both put up solid numbers in their final seasons at their respective schools.

Other possible free agent additions include T.J. Edwards (6-1, 242, 26 years old) and Kyzir White (6-2, 234, 27 years old) of Philadelphia, Leighton Vander Esch (6-4, 256, 26 years old) of Dallas, and Germaine Pratt (6-3, 250, 27 years old) of Cincinnati. 

There’s also Lavonte David (6-1, 233, 33 years old) of Tampa Bay and Alex Singleton (6-2, 240, 29 years old) of Denver, but they would only be short-term solutions due to their advanced ages.

Shaping up to be an offseason of change for the Steelers' inside linebacker corps

The best-case scenario is that the Steelers add Edmunds, keep Jack at a reduced rate, and draft Simpson, Sanders or Sewell with one of their first two picks in the upcoming NFL Draft.

That would leave the up-and-coming Robinson and Tae Crowder (6-1, 235, 25 years old) in key reserve and/or special teams roles. Don't sleep on Crowder, as he started 31 of the 41 games he played in for the Giants over the last three seasons after becoming "Mr. Irrelevant" in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Steelers signed the former Georgia Bulldog off the Giants' practice squad late in 2022 but he's yet to take a snap in Pittsburgh. Crowder posted 232 total tackles (130 in 2021), nine tackles for loss, eight passes defensed, six quarterback hurries, 2.0 sacks and two interceptions for the G-Men.

This entire scenario would quickly revamp the Steelers' inside linebacker corps and arguably make this unit one of the best in the NFL Now it's up to new GM Omar Khan and company to pull it off.