Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season has finally arrived for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It is an exciting time in the Steel City as the organization is set to tackle a first-place schedule with new head coach Mike McCarthy running the show. Thankfully, it won't be a complete reset with Aaron Rodgers returning to be the starting quarterback. His leadership and experience offer a different level of preparedness that should go a long way as the collective gets ready to try and repeat as AFC North champions. There will be 52 others on the roster, however, so every one in the locker room will matter to some degree.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks down intense focus in street clothes as the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
There are plenty of familiar faces coming back to play with Rodgers in what is widely expected to be his final professional campaign. General Manager Omar Khan added plenty to the depth chart in the hopes of putting together a group capable of competing at the highest level. That is why it was relatively surprising when there wasn't much done to improve a questionable spot on the defense.
The Steelers returned Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Malik Harrison and Cole Holcomb as the top four interior linebackers. Carson Bruener can also be added to the list despite the fact that he is mainly utilized on special teams. Just when fans thought the franchise would be content with four or five of these guys being around in 2026, veteran Elandon Roberts was brought into the mix during training camp.
Not only did the former Las Vegas Raiders defender play well in exhibition action, but there was a nice sense of familiarity with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham as well from their time together in Sin City in 2025. Harrison ended up being cut, but that didn't lead to Roberts finding his way into the conversation, as he was not able to crack the initial 53-man roster, either.
This stirred up plenty of discussion because it felt as if Roberts was exactly what the Steelers needed in the room. It's now safe to say that other players were shocked by the decision. While appearing on an episode of Not Just Football with Cam Heyward, Rodgers noted that he wasn't all that surprised with a lot of releases; however, Roberts' departure was one that was not expected.
"I don't feel like there was a ton of surprises this year because you just know how they look at the roster," Rodgers stated. "I mean, I was surprised by E-Rob for sure."
Right after the quarterback mentioned this, his teammate, Cam Heyward, echoed that belief. Roberts seemed to be a perfect addition to a unit that could use some more run-stopping power. He displayed as much in August when getting the opportunity to play, but, for some reason, the coaching staff and front office did not see him as someone who should have stuck around for the long haul.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts begins to sprint forward as he runs through a drill while the team works out during a 2023 practice at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
There is always a possibility that Roberts could return in some capacity, but many thought that would have occurred shortly after the initial roster was revealed. Sometimes, there are handshake agreements and procedural moves that occur behind the scenes. With that said, Roberts remains a free agent and the Steelers haven't indicated that anyone at inside linebacker is unhealthy. That makes the path to another reunion rocky at best.
Pittsburgh will certainly hear it from the fan base if the defense struggles against the run early on in the year. Having someone who can set the tone like Roberts is a very important asset in the NFL. For now, someone else is going to have to take on that role, even though it once seemed like the veteran was the perfect fit for the depth chart.
Steelers Have A Shaky Inside Linebackers' Room
While there is a lot of experience for Pittsburgh in the area, the inside linebacking corps has not been overly impressive in recent years. Queen has fallen short of high expectations, and Wilson has been inconsistent. Holcomb comes off as more of a role player than anything, and Bruener is in just his second season, with a plethora of his reps being on special teams. The Steelers' decision-makers might be looking back at Rodgers' comments if things go awry early in the season.
#SteelerNation