Recent Steelers 53-Man Roster Prediction Has Wild Situation Unfolding At Linebacker

The Pittsburgh Steelers' long 2024 offseason is finally wrapping up and it is full steam ahead towards the regular season. Training camp will be a crucial period for the organization as there are several questions all over the roster. Head Coach Mike Tomlin and his staff will have plenty of decisions to make and once the preseason wraps up, trimming down to just 53 players could be a tough task. There will be plenty of competitions going on in Latrobe and some players will have their hearts broken when it comes to making the final cut. There will be plenty to talk about in the Steel City.

With plenty of anticipation leading up to the exciting beginning of the 2024 NFL stretch, analysts everywhere are doing what they can to predict what organizations' rosters might look like when Week 1 rolls around. Brooke Pryor reports for the Steelers at ESPN and released her 53-man roster prediction on Tuesday and it came with some interesting talking points.

Perhaps the most shocking part of the prediction was what could happen at linebacker. Pryor has only three edge rushers making the final cut in TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig. Following the guys on the outside, there ended up being a staggering six inside linebackers. Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Mark Robinson and newly-signed Tyler Matakevich all found a way in the top 53.

"The biggest question among the Steelers' linebackers is the health and return date of Holcomb, who suffered a catastrophic, season-ending knee injury in Week 9 last season. Though the organization has outwardly expressed optimism about Holcomb's return, they've been vague about the exact timetable. He hasn't participated in team or individual drills since the injury and resulting surgery, but during minicamp, Tomlin said he was optimistic Holcomb would return during training camp."

No one is taking away anything from the talent and depth at the inside linebacker position, but having only three edge rushers is extraordinarily unlikely. It would take just one injury in the first quarter for two to be left playing 100 percent of the snaps in a game. It simply does not make sense to not have a fourth edge rusher on the active roster, let alone the 53-man.

Pryor went into detail about Matakevich, who is technically the newcomer to the group. He has experience playing for Pittsburgh, and what's more likely is him knocking Robinson off the 53-man roster.

"One other thing to keep an eye on is the return of Matakevich, who signed a one-year deal just before training camp. Matakevich is a special teams ace and former team captain for the Buffalo Bills, where he spent the last four seasons after being drafted in the seventh round by the Steelers in 2016. Matakevich is undoubtedly fighting for a roster spot, and he could bump Robinson out of a job."

Five inside linebackers and four edge rushers make a lot more sense for the Steelers, but it is an interesting situation when focusing on Holcomb and his recovery. Pryor also had four tight ends in her roster prediction, which is certainly possible, but not a guarantee. Overall, there is an absurdly small chance that the initial 53-man roster features only three outside linebackers.

Steelers Have Plenty More To Worry About On Offensive Side Of The Ball

The defense is currently set to have more depth than the offense, and given the questions about the quarterback and wide receiver positions, there is a lot more to worry about throughout training camp than a five or six-person inside linebackers' room. The offense will be implementing a new system and has a lot of fresh faces, so the month of August should be incredibly interesting.

Do you think there is a world in which Pittsburgh has only three outside linebackers on the 53-man roster? Let us know in the comments below!

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