Steelers "Not Looking Outside" For Linebacker Help After Latest Injury Blow

Just two weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker room was establishing a nice rhythm. The coaching staff had gotten down just how to divvy snaps up in the three-man rotation, which had become a huge upgrade from last year's linebacker unit. Unfortunately, the room has suffered season-ending injuries in back-to-back weeks. It was Cole Holcomb in Week 9, who suffered a knee injury.

With him out, Kwon Alexander was given the "green dot" for Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers. Like Holcomb though, he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury on Sunday. Now, that deep linebacker room, led by the three-man rotation, is suddenly down to one. In his press conference on Tuesday, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin addressed the depth issue head on.

"We have to prepare with an edge, we gotta be smart with what it is that we do, how we divide the labor up. We're not looking outside the organization, to be quite honest with you, as I stand here right now in terms of solutions regarding those issues. Man, we got guys that we're comfortable with."

This comes as a slight surprise, as the unit does not have a ton of experience beyond Elandon Roberts now. The team will ask big things from Roberts now, who is by far the most talented guy in the unit. Additionally, he will likely carry that green dot as the primary communicator in the middle of the defense. Second-year man Mark Robinson saw a career-high 41 (60.3%) defensive snaps on Sunday, and that will only continue moving forward now. 

Is Steelers' 2022 7th-Rounder Ready For More Snaps?

Coming into the Week 10 game, Robinson had seen a total of 48 defensive snaps in his short two-year career. Tomlin specifically mentioned two in-house names that will immediately step up and help: Mykal Walker and Tariq Carpenter. Somewhat surprisingly, Walker remained on the practice squad against the Packers. After Holcomb's injury, it seemed like the former Atlanta Falcons linebacker would be elevated to the active roster. With another injury now, it's almost a lock that Walker and Carpenter will be more involved now.

"We've kind of been forward thinking, and the acquisition of some of our people, some of our practice squad guys are there not because they're developmental players. They're there because they're capable players. They're just readying themselves for an opportunity," Tomlin said in Tuesday's press conference.

Walker racked up over 100 tackles for the Falcons in 2022, so he can bring plenty of experience and production to the linebacker group. Last week, Tomlin did mention safety Keanu Neal as a guy that could help this unit out moving forward. Throughout his career, the veteran safety has helped out as linebacker for multiple teams with his physicality. When asked by reporters though, Tomlin said this isn't something to expect in Week 11 against the Cleveland Browns.     

Tomlin believes the Browns have arguably the best guard tandem in the NFL, so it doesn't make sense to be undersized at linebacker, at least not this week. The Steelers coach did praise Robinson, whom he said has grown consistently. Robinson will be asked to do a lot more now, as will the rest of the linebacker room. Still, it's surprising that the team didn't go after free agents like Anthony Barr early in the week, whom ended up back with the Minnesota Vikings.

With Holcomb and Alexander out now, who do you expect to step up the most for the Steelers? Are you surprised that the team isn't looking outside the organization for additional linebacker help? Share your thoughts in the comments below, yinz!

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