As training camp approaches, the Pittsburgh Steelers have one position battle that could get messy in a hurry: inside linebacker.
The attention tends to land elsewhere when roster questions start piling up, but this group has the ingredients for a real fight. Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson sit at the top of the depth chart, and after that, the room gets crowded fast. Malik Harrison, Carson Bruener, Cole Holcomb, Jamin Davis, and Jacoby Windmon are all in the mix, and any of them could be pushed into a bigger role if they make the right impression this summer.
Queen’s future has been the subject of constant speculation, and it still wouldn’t have been a shock if the Steelers had found a way out of his contract and upgraded. That chance appears to have come and gone, though, so Queen is likely headed for another major role on defense next to Wilson.
The more interesting battle is behind them, where the Steelers may have three roster spots available. Holcomb recently re-signed on a two-year deal, which makes his spot look safer, but that doesn’t mean his place in the pecking order is locked in. There’s still room for someone else to climb past him and carve out a larger role.
Bruener is one of the names to watch closely after a strong rookie season on special teams. He still has to win a roster spot, but that work in the kicking game gives him a real path to stick. Even so, he’ll have to hold off challengers all summer, and that won’t be simple in this linebacker group.
The final spot may come down to Harrison, Davis, and Windmon. All three have NFL experience, but Harrison looks like the most vulnerable of the bunch. He’s been with the Steelers for a year, yet his contract makes him a possible cap casualty.
If Harrison is cut, Davis and Windmon would be left battling for position. Davis, a former first-round pick, can line up at both outside and inside linebacker, and that flexibility could help him.
Windmon brings the same kind of versatility, and the Steelers already know him well. In the end, it may be decided by who stands out more on special teams.
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