When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed ILB Cole Holcomb to a three-year deal forward of the 2023 season, the thought was that they had been getting their beginning linebacker for the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, a extreme knee damage midway by means of the 2023 marketing campaign price Holcomb the remainder of the season and the entire 2024 season, touchdown him on the Bodily Unable To Carry out Record as he continued to rehab.
Realizing that Holcomb was more likely to miss all of final season, Pittsburgh went to work to interchange his presence on the depth chart. They signed LB Patrick Queen to a profitable contract in free company. They drafted Payton Wilson within the third spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft to associate with Elandon Roberts, Mark Robinson, and Tyler Matakevich. Holcomb and the Steelers additionally agreed to a re-worked contract this offseason, taking a notable pay reduce to remain on the roster and seemingly compete for a roster spot.
Nevertheless, the experiences are that Holcomb is totally wholesome heading into the 2025 season, giving Pittsburgh a “enjoying with home cash” situation on the subject of their former beginning linebacker. The group did its due diligence by including high quality expertise and depth to take Holcomb’s spot after he acquired injured. He at present isn’t anticipated to begin as Queen and Wilson are projected to carry down these spots, with Pittsburgh additionally signing ILB Malik Harrison this offseason to fill Roberts’ function on the roster.
Seeing as Pittsburgh has three linebackers in place on the high of the depth chart, something that Holcomb can carry to the desk in 2025 can be gravy as a rotational participant and even as a spot starter like Roberts was final season, as Wilson labored his far more into the lineup. Earlier than his damage in 2023, Holcomb was a productive participant that Pittsburgh relied upon as their three-down linebacker, racking up 54 complete tackles (31 solo), 4 tackles for loss, two cross deflections, two pressured fumbles, and a fumble restoration in eight video games.
Cole Holcomb confirmed sturdy play in pursuit of the soccer as a run defender, showcasing his velocity and talent to diagnose opposing offenses from the field. He additionally offered respectable play in protection as effectively, surrendering a 68.4% completion charge for 144 yards and 0 touchdowns in line with Professional Soccer Reference. He introduced a bodily tone to the linebacker room that Pittsburgh had been lacking, as evidenced by his spotlight hit towards the Las Vegas Raiders when he separated WR Davante Adams from the ball.
Is Cole Holcomb a greater general participant than Queen or an rising Wilson coming into 12 months 2? Most likely not. Nevertheless, it’s laborious to make an argument that he’s not one in every of Pittsburgh’s high 4 inside linebackers on the roster when wholesome, and might be a greater situational participant than Harrison on the subject of play velocity and talent set in protection.
Thus, Pittsburgh is discovering itself in an advantageous place on the subject of depth at inside linebacker, a luxurious that they haven’t had in years. Certain, they had been speculated to have good depth in 2023, however they noticed the likes of Holcomb and Kwon Alexander go down with season-ending accidents whereas Roberts gutted it out himself by means of the season, battling illnesses. The Steelers don’t wish to be in that scenario once more, thus holding onto Holcomb for the 2025 season to see if he can nonetheless play makes a ton of sense, even when others could take into account him a roster squeeze.
Coaching camp and the preseason will go a protracted method to see if Cole Holcomb has misplaced a step or is a bit rusty after being off the sector for almost a 12 months and a half. Ought to he look quick and bodily in coaching camp practices and present that he can nonetheless play like his previous self in preseason motion, he ought to have a powerful case for the 53-man roster. If he doesn’t, then you may look to maintain one in every of Robinson or Carson Bruener over him for particular groups functions. Regardless, Pittsburgh could have a starting-caliber linebacker in Holcomb as extra of a reserve this offseason, giving them a low-risk, moderate-reward situation if he actually is wholesome and able to go.
