An annual rite of passage… Our Training Camp Previews for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The concept here is pretty straightforward; we’ll take a look at each position. Who is vying for a place on the 53-man roster and how will that happen? Obviously there are some spots much each easier to break down than others but we’ll do our best to cover it all. Today we cover the Linebackers.
Nick Herbig, 3rd Season
Now in his third season, Nick Herbig absolutely is what he is. He’s a relentless pass rusher who gives opposing pass blockers fits with his speed, quickness and effort. But he’s also a liability against the run. It’s not for lack of effort or aggression because setting the edge is not easy. At 6’2″ 240lbs, he’s just not big enough to do it on a regular basis. In my eyes, he has a very defined role on this team. Get the QB and be a key member of Special Teams as well.
Malik Harrison, 6th Season
I have to admit, I’m still a bit surprised by this addition to the defense. Malik Harrison is a nice linebacker who will also contribute heavily on Special Teams, but I really thought Elandon Roberts had done more than enough to warrant a return to the Steelers. What Harrison has working for him is athleticism, at least more than what Roberts had. Harrison was a three-year starter at quarterback in high school… My assumption is that he’ll be used as a bit of a jack of all trades because he has experience and is aggressive. But he’s also slow to react against play-action and can struggle with recognizing what’s happening in front of him period.
Carson Bruener, Rookie
The son of former Steelers’ Tight End and current West Coast Scout Mark Bruener, Carson has created a nice living for himself on the other side of the ball. He’s built more like a big safety weighing in about 230lbs so how the Steelers choose to use him defensively is important. He’s not going to be your classic downhill, run-stuffing LB. Instead, they’ll need to use him in passing situations where he can take advantage of his skills in pass coverage. In order to make the roster, he must be a demon on Special Teams.
Devin Harper, 3rd Season
Harper has NFL-style range and speed which he relies on heavily. He’s not the most instinctive linebacker and his lack of roster time over four seasons demonstrates this. He’s been with five teams now and has played in just 12 games. The deck is stacked against him in terms of making the roster.
Alex Highsmith, 6th Season
Is it just me or is it hard to believe that Alex Highsmith has been around this long? He’s been a solid compliment to T.J. Watt for most of his career despite missing six games last season with an injury. Highsmith is not flashy. He’s a lunch pail type of guy that works his tail off and makes teams account for him. Highsmith has always seemed to me to be that type of pass rusher who is quite often just a split-second late to the QB. Despite his big numbers in 2022 (14.5 sacks), he’s averaging just six sacks per season. This is a big year for him in terms of increasing that number.
Jack Sawyer, Rookie
The thing that strikes me about Sawyer is that you’re always going to get effort and energy. He’s also a natural leader who doesn’t tolerate the lack of effort from his teammates. Sawyer also established himself as a guy that shows up big in big moments as he did in Ohio State’s run to a National Title. Sawyer however is limited. He’s purely a power and strength guy right now. He lacks the typical length and burst you want in an outside linebacker but that doesn’t mean he can’t grow into a long-term contributor.
Patrick Queen, 6th Season
Patrick Queen would be the first to tell you he didn’t have the kind of year he wanted to in year one in Pittsburgh. That’s actually being a bit hard on himself as he recorded the second most tackles in his career falling just shy of his 133 combined stops. Where Queen seems to believe he needs to get better is in terms of communication and that’s not uncommon with the Steelers. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him have a really good year in 2025.
Jeremiah Moon, 3rd Season
Moon has four starts in his 21 career games. He spent his rookie season with Baltimore before coming over to the Steelers last season. He’s long and tall and needs to use those attributes to his advantage more often. I don’t think Jack Sawyer is a shoo-in for the fourth spot by any means because Moon will push him.
T.J. Watt, 9th Season
At some point in the future, T.J. Watt will walk into the Hall of Fame. I am hopeful he does this with at least one playoff victory under his belt. In order to achieve this, he’ll need to come to an agreement with the Steelers on a new contract first and foremost. At this writing, I think this will drift well into Training Camp, maybe even right before week one. I don’t need to discuss what Watt brings to the Steelers. You already know this. What really matters is whether last season’s dip in sack production was a ‘one-off’ or whether he returns to dominance.
Mark Robinson, 4th Season
If you see a missile coming down on kickoff coverage or punt coverage that’s usually Mark Robinson. He’s a big part of what Danny Smith does on Special Teams. As a linebacker, Robinson is very good against the run. When he can come downhill, he’s very difficult to block and he can get sideline to sideline pretty quickly as well. Pass coverage is Robinson’s Achilles Heel however and that’s why he’s rarely, if ever, on the field. Robinson benefits from Elandon Roberts being gone but his spot on the roster is still a bit questionable.
Payton Wilson, 2nd Season
Most of the hopes surrounding Payton Wilson last year were centered strictly on his health. No one has ever questioned the talent, the effort or the work ethic. Staying healthy has been his biggest issue. Consider year one a huge success for Wilson. We’ve been told that Wilson has bulked up a bit over the offseason and that is no doubt to help him improve is run stuffing. He did a great job in coverage and got sideline to sideline as well anyone else on the team. I fully expect him to be on the field even more in 2025.
Julius Welschof, 1st Season
The big man from Germany has yet to make his NFL debut and he doesn’t count against the roster as he’s considered an International Player. He spent four seasons at Michigan before finishing his career as Charlotte. He’s 6’6″ and 260lbs so he certainly looks the part. Whether or not he gets a helmet at any point this season is uncertain but I don’t see it happening.
Cole Holcomb, 7th Season
Cole Holcomb is one of the major storylines heading into Training Camp. After a devastating knee injury, Holcomb is back and ready to prove he can play at a high level. The questions about whether he is back to being the player he was will be answered in the first couple of weeks. Can he still move laterally as well? Is he able to engage blockers and not lose ground? Can he cover in both man and zone? If he shows no decline in those areas then it’s a great situation for the Steelers.
Eku Leota, 2nd Season
Leota has played in 11 career games since coming into the League in 2023. He’s primarily an outside linebacker who has good size at 6’4″ 260lbs. He spent a lot of time in opposing backfields while at Auburn racking up a ton of tackles for loss. I think Leota is headed for a Practice Squad stay but watch the film on him. He sets the edge quite well against the run, but will need to develop his pass rushing skills and this should be the place to do it.
How It Shakes Out
Let’s start with the inside backers. Queen, Wilson, Harrison and Holcomb will likely be your top four with Robinson probably getting that fifth spot based largely on his Special Teams impact. On the outside, Watt, Highsmith, Herbig and Sawyer are your top four. If they go with a fifth it will likely be Moon.
