The Pittsburgh Steelers under General Manager Omar Khan, deserve a ton of credit for not being afraid to turn weaknesses on their roster into strengths. Whether it be overhauling the offensive line in two years, or replacing the entire quarterback room in a single offseason, Khan has done his due diligence to better the organization and increase their chances to winning another Lombardi Trophy.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan stares off into the distance as he stands on the field in Pittsburgh, PA.
Of all the improvements made, Khan's crowning achievement is the turnaround of the position that made the Steelers famous: the linebacker core. Since becoming the general manager in 2022, Khan has replaced everyone but Mark Robinson in the room, and brought in several players who can fill the hole that has been unfillable since the devastating injury to Ryan Shazier in 2017.
Khan has brought in players like Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb, and now Patrick Queen, all with different skill sets, but with the ability to excel wearing the Black and Gold. Though it's impossible to replace a player who had the trajectory of Shazier, Khan has done great work in attempting to replicate the impact he had on the field.
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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb is looking to bounce back after a season-ending knee injury in 2023.
In his takeaways following the Steelers' Organized Team Activities (OTAs), Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, shared his thoughts on the impact that the top two linebackers on the depth chart can have on the future of the franchise.
"Patrick Queen likes to talk trash and speak his mind no matter who might be offended. And he's pretty smart too. Elandon Roberts might be the most underrated player on the roster. He will blow up opposing running backs, linemen, whomever, and loves doing it. I expect Queen and Roberts to be a huge upgrade from what they've had at the position in the past. They come across to me as a Vince Williams/Ryan Shazier remake, and that duo worked quite well together."
Both players will enter into the 2024 season with questions surrounding them. However, with their different abilities able to be used in complementing one another, both Queen and Roberts have the potential to breakout in a big way as members of the league's highest paid defense.
How The Steelers Rebuilt The Linebacker Room
The journey to reshaping the linebacker room has not been easy, but has certainly been well worth the wait. Roberts signed with the Steelers in March of 2023 as a part of the complete overhaul of the linebacker room. Roberts, along with Holcomb and Kwon Alexander, were brought in with the hope that they could finally fill the hole that has existed at the position since Williams' retirement and Shazier's injury. After injuries hit the room hard in 2023, Khan and his staff made the aggressive move to add Queen in free agency.
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Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen runs a drill while working on a sled during the team's 2024 Organized Team Activities (OTAs) in Pittsburgh, PA.
Both Queen and Roberts come off similar 2023 seasons. Roberts' first season with the Steelers, despite suffering injuries himself, was one that was highly successful. Roberts recorded over 100 total tackles and 2.5 sacks, providing consistency and a voice for the defense when it needed one. Queen benefited from playing next to Roquan Smith for a full season. Queen finished the year with a 133 tackles with 84 being solo, good for 14th in the NFL. Along with his 3.5 sacks, Queen was named a Second Team All-Pro in 2023 for the first time in his career.
The Steelers have several positions that seem like boom or bust candidates in 2024, and the linebacker room feels as though it's pushing towards that same narrative. Though the top of the room is promising in Queen and Roberts, the depth behind them is up for debate. Robinson's name has been on the roster bubble, and Holcomb's timeline for his return following a late season ACL injury is still in question. Payton Wilson was drafted in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and his potential impact is highly anticipated.
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Steelers linebacker Mark Robinson (#93) stands on the field while the team practices during 2022 training camp.
It'll be important as the Steelers prepare for the start of training camp to evaluate the room. If the depth can shine as brightly as Queen and Roberts are projected to, Pittsburgh will be setup for success. The saying goes that a team is only as good as its depth, so it's a good thing that the Steelers enjoy having competition at every position throughout the year.
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