7 Steelers Inside Linebacker Draft Targets

After lackluster seasons from Myles Jack and Devin Bush, Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan hit the reset button on the inside linebacker position. Backups Robert Spillane and Marcus Allen also hit free agency, leaving Mark Robinson, fresh off his rookie season, as the only returning inside linebacker on the roster. This led many to believe that inside linebacker could be the position Pittsburgh would target with their first-round pick. 

But Khan quickly went to work in free agency, signing Cole Holcomb from the Washington Commanders and Elandon Roberts from the Miami Dolphins. Roberts fits the “Buck” linebacker role in the Steelers’ defense, most notably filled by Vince Williams, as the downhill, thumper linebacker. Holcomb will fill the “Mack” role, the more traditional, off-ball linebacker who can do a little bit of everything. The aforementioned Robinson will probably back up Roberts, as he flashed potential last year in limited duty but still has lots to learn. 

However, the spot behind Holcomb remains noticeably vacant. Near the end of last season, the Steelers signed Tae Crowder away from the New York Giants practice squad. Crowder started eight games for the Giants in 2022 and could be an interesting developmental piece. But this team still needs some more depth at inside linebacker. 

Furthermore, this team desperately needs an inside linebacker who can play on passing downs and not be a complete liability in coverage. Frankly, Pittsburgh has lacked that element on their defense since Devin Bush tore his ACL in 2020 and perhaps even since Ryan Shazier suffered his tragic injury in 2017. Holcomb is serviceable covering the short middle-of-the-field areas, but the Steelers need a linebacker with range. Furthermore, given Teryl Austin’s emphasis on creating turnovers, they could be looking for one with some ball skills.

There are still plenty of interesting free-agent candidates out there. I’m not ruling out players like Zach Cunningham, Deion Jones, Rashaan Evans, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, or Jayon Brown. But the Steelers must find a long-term solution for a passing down inside linebacker. Therefore, below are several candidates Pittsburgh could select in the 2023 NFL Draft.