Steelers Steady Veteran Blake Martinez Will Join LB Rotation At Some Point In 2023 Says DC Teryl Austin

As Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin always says, one man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander had become legitimate starters for Tomlin's defense before their season-ending injuries. The injuries were suffered in back-to-back weeks and have really tested the team's depth at linebacker. Others have stepped up, most notably Mykal Walker.

Walker has seen 96 snaps over the last two weeks, and he'll only see more moving forward. He's been able to not only help replace Holcomb and Alexander's production, but also help fill a communication void as well. After Alexander suffered his unfortunate Achilles injury, the Steelers signed veteran Blake Martinez. While he hasn't played an extensive amount of football since 2020, the experience is there. Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin says it's only a matter of time before he sees the field.

"We'll continue to see where he may fit in with us. I think that, at some point, he'll have a hat on, and he'll have an opportunity to help us. What that is right now or this week, I'm not sure... Every practice, he's just learning our stuff and getting into the playbook and learning the things and how we do those things. He's a good pro... It's just a matter of time before he's ready to hopefully contribute [for us]," Austin said via transcript from the team.

Austin's comments essentially confirm that Martinez is a part of the plan this season in the linebacker group. Again, he has only been in Pittsburgh for just over a week. Before that, he was on the Carolina Panthers' practice squad. He hasn't played in a game since last season with the Las Vegas Raiders when he appeared in just four total contests. It seems a bit uncertain if that will happen this weekend, but it's only a matter of time before Martinez sees some defensive snaps.

With that, he will likely slot in as the team's No. 3 linebacker. Veteran Elandon Roberts has taken the green dot for communication and leadership purposes. He's also the best option in that group, just ahead of Walker. While it may not be as good as the unit was just a few weeks ago, the Steelers have done a solid job of piecing this unit back together. Myles Jack also remains on the practice squad, as he seems to be more of a backup option at this point.

Should The Steelers Give Jack Another Chance In 2023?

Despite multiple injuries to two of the top three linebackers, Mark Robinson still hasn't been able to see the field on defense. After he got 41 defensive snaps against the Green Bay Packers, he hasn't seen a snap there in back-to-back games now. With Walker and Martinez becoming more comfortable, it doesn't bode well for his chances of seeing the field on defense. 

Robinson has now logged 212 special teams snaps in 2023, which has been where he's provided most of his value. At this point, he seems to be an afterthought for Pittsburgh. While he had some bright moments at training camp, it appears he's still too raw. In Martinez's last full season in which he started 16 games for the New York Giants, he finished with a total of 151 tackles. Now that Austin has revealed that they plan to integrate him a bit more, we have more of an idea of what the linebacker rotation will look like down the stretch.

How do you think Walker has done stepping up in the absence of Holcomb and Alexander? Do you think Martinez can become a legitimate option in the linebacker rotation? Are you concerned about the long-term future of Robinson now? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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