Coaches make mistakes. Players make mistakes. General Managers make mistakes. In other words, we ALL make mistakes but we can sometimes correct those errors. The Pittsburgh Steelers had veteran linebacker Elandon Roberts in Training Camp this summer. He played a lot in the preseason yet he was one of the more surprising cuts when the team started to slim down the roster. Yet five weeks into the 2026 season, Roberts is back.
Let’s get something right out of the way; Elandon Roberts is 32 years old and he’s not a three-down linebacker. He has limitations in coverage and isn’t the player he used to be. So why are the Steelers bringing him back? Because they have linebackers who are struggling to tackle. Is that simple enough for you?
No one is going to criticize the effort of Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen (most games anyway) but the fact of the matter is that they are just not getting ball carriers to the ground. It goes beyond that however. They are also struggling to get off blocks too. You could certainly argue that yesterday seemed to be a step in the right direction. The Indianapolis Colts rushed for just 66 yards and less than three yards per rush. It’s clear however that wasn’t enough to satisfy Mike McCarthy.
With games against Baltimore and other run-first teams still on the schedule, bringing Roberts back makes sense. His ability to get off blocks and tackles is more than welcome on this unit. But so too is his locker room presence. Roberts is a winner. He knows what it takes to be great in the NFL and that is the type of attitude and presence other guys feed off of.
I do not expect Roberts to be a savior by any stretch. But having him out there on first and/or second downs helps against the run and also keeps Queen or Wilson that much fresher for later in the game. I’m of the opinion that McCarthy and Omar Khan made a mistake in letting Roberts walk and if this corrects that mistake then so be it. I’m not expecting miracles but better tackling would be more than welcome!
