Steelers' Decision To Sign Elandon Roberts May Have Hidden Motive

Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers were shocked when linebacker Elandon Roberts did not make the initial 53-man roster, as he played well between the tackles during his limited action in the preseason. After five weeks of rough play from the linebacker position, they officially signed him to the practice squad. It's unclear if/when he will be elevated to the active roster, but it's clear that that position group desperately needs a jolt. Even if the veteran does not play much, he could help light a fire under everyone else with his presence. 

Ironically, the one thing the Steelers have done well at is stopping the run, which is Roberts' bread and butter. In Week 5, Pittsburgh went against one of the best running backs in the NFL in Jonathan Taylor and completely shut him down. Outside of his 20-yard run, he had 14 carries for 25 yards on the day. That is pure domination on the ground for 60 minutes from a beaten and battered defensive unit.

Insider Ray Fittipaldo believes there is more to the Roberts signing than adding a spark to the position group. He explained his mindset during the latest episode of Steelers Collective.

"The timing is very interesting; we're a month out from the trade deadline," Fittipaldo said. "Patrick Queen is in the last month of his deal. Cole Holcomb is on a cheap deal. I don't know if either of those guys do get moved, but what better guy to come in and replace one of those guys if a deal is made."

Fittipaldo's co-host, Mark Kaboly, made sure to confirm what he is saying. He asked if he was alluding to the Steelers trading a linebacker and "not getting caught with their pants down" if it happens, to which Fittipaldo said, "That's what I'm saying." He believes Roberts could come in and take over someone else's role if a trade goes down with one of the potential rental linebackers.

There have been a lot of questions about how good Patrick Queen has been during his time in Pittsburgh. He has not looked too comfortable being the quarterback of the defense, so it may be time to give one of these other linebackers a shot to see how well they can communicate with everyone on the field. If the Steelers can get a quality mid-round pick in exchange for him, they might just pull the trigger. 

In fact, the Steelers were shopping Queen around during the offseason. They were deep in negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys before Dallas decided to pull out. It would not be surprising to see Pittsburgh at least gauge interest and see if it would be worth the draft capital to let him go in November. If that does happen, Roberts would suddenly get a lot of playing time to help fill Queen's shoes.

Meanwhile, Cole Holcomb seems like a faster version of Roberts: they both primarily play in run defense. Even though Holcomb is better in coverage, the returning Steeler would be able to fill his shoes without skipping a beat. He would come in on obvious run-down situations to help plug up the middle before subbing out for 2nd and 3rd downs, when it will be more likely to be a pass-heavy situation.

Steelers Could Get Lucky And Strike Deal With Desperate Team

Between the fact that Queen is the primary communicator on the defense along with the fact that Holcomb likely won't get a significant contract in 2027, teams will might go for the cheaper, safer option. Holcomb has a significant injury history, but It wouldn't be surprising for the Steelers to receive a fifth- or sixth-round pick in exchange for the long-time Pittsburgh linebacker, as there are plenty of teams that could use a player like him to fill out their depth charts.

What do you think about the idea that the Steelers are bringing Roberts back to be ready in case someone else gets traded? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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