Changing linebackers doesn't mean the Steelers are improving the position

Well, we can't fail the Pittsburgh Steelers for being complacent. Since the start of the legal tampering period and the beginning of free agency, Omar Khan and the front office have been busy at work with an array of roster additions. They kicked things off by adding Patrick Peterson, Nate Herbig, and Cole Holcomb.

Pittsburgh's next wave of moves included restructuring the contract of Minkah Fitzpatrick to free up salary cap space and signing former Dolphins linebacker, Elandon Roberts. To pave the way for this move, the Steelers released veteran LB Myles Jack.

There were a number of free agency predictions that included Pittsburgh losing two of their top three linebackers from the 2022 season, but I'm not sure if anyone would have guessed that all three would be gone already. Myles Jack and Devin Bush now sit in free agency while Robert Spillane signed a two-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.

In an effort to revamp and revive the linebacker corps, the Steelers added two fiery players in Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts. I applaud Khan and the front office for understanding that they couldn't go into the 2023 season with what they had at the position but did they actually get any better?

Steelers may not have improved much at linebacker

I totally understand the thought process here -- out with the old, in with the new. Pittsburgh is essentially wiping the slate clean with their unspectacular group of linebackers last year and replacing them with guys who play with their hair on fire.

Holcomb and Roberts have both put up impressive numbers in the past as they've often found themselves around the play. This pair of linebackers have at least one season of over 100 tackles and they tend to make a lot of plays near the line of scrimmage.

But don't use raw stats to judge how good a linebacker has been. Though I am cautiously optimistic about what Holcomb brings to the table, he still is inconsistent in coverage and is coming off a season-ending foot injury. As far as Roberts goes, I have not been a fan of the veteran's film. Though he packs a punch on impact, he has struggled mightily in space and is a liability in coverage.

Even if we consider that 2022 draft pick, Mark Robinson, could get into the mix, I don't think that this means that the Pittsburgh Steelers currently have a stronger linebacker corps than they did this past season. In order to make that happen, it still might be necessary to spend a day-two draft selection on the position.

Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts are certain 'Mike Tomlin' guys. They are physical competitors who play with high energy. Sadly, this team still lacks a true coverage linebacker, and if a move isn't made early in the NFL Draft, we could still be looking at one of the weakest positions on the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023.