5 Steelers replacement options at linebacker following Pittsburgh's recent injuries

A former member of the roster this past preseason could make a return

One player that might be forgotten about already but should keep in the back of your minds is Nick Kwiatkoski. He was with the Steelers throughout the preseason process, but never made the cut and suffered injuries throughout the process.

He is a local Pittsburgh guy who was trying to make his hometown team. Unfortunately, he was unable to do enough to earn a spot at the time.

He was actually having a strong start to training camp before he suffered a shoulder injury. He was able to find different ways to play through it during that time. You could tell it hindered his abilities on the football field and caused him to eventually lose his job.

In the end, it was a numbers game that cost him. It was somewhat shocking that the club did not try to bring him back on the practice squad though.

Now that both Alexander and Holcomb are out with injuries and will miss the rest of the season, it makes sense to circle back to Kwiatkoski. He has a lot of starting experience in the NFL. He has also played on special teams. Another benefit to adding this option is the knowledge he would have about the defense already.

One of the biggest knocks for adding someone like Kwiatkoski would be his lack of quality reps in defending the pass. He would add to a group that is already heavy on run defenders.

It would be nice to have someone like Tanner Muse around right now. He could have been a better coverage linebacker option. Still, Kwiatkoski would provide some better depth.