Steelers Inside LBs in the market for a ‘Big House’
Published May 24th, 2:15 EDT
by Bo Marchionte
Pittsburgh – The inside linebacker unit in Pittsburgh has a lot of new faces. That is not to be put lightly. How new is the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacking core? Last year’s seventh-round pick Mark Robinson is the most tenured inside linebacker on the team.
When the Steelers opened last season in Cincinnati in Week 1 the following players were listed at the position: RILB Devon Bush, Robert Spillane LILB Myles Jack, Mark Robinson, Marcus Allen. The lone survivor is Robinson who is now joined by free agent additions Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb, Tanner Muse and Chapelle Russell.
Last year’s group spent time at the ‘Big House’, the name given to Robert Spillane’s home where his girlfriend would sometimes cook, or steaks would be grilled as the team gathered to watch breakdown game film and more importanly bond. Spillane signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency leaving this new group without a nest.
“It’s been brought up, but everybody is fairly new,” said seven-year veteran Elandon Roberts who spent four seasons in New England and three with the Dolphins after the second day of OTAs in Pittsburgh. “Just getting their families settled. My family is still in Texas.”
Roberts explained that during his NFL career there has always been a place where their unit would congregate and bond. With Spillane gone, and Robinson in only year two it is anyone’s guess on who will carry on the tradition of the ‘Big House’ in Pittsburgh.
Roberts along with newcomer Cole Holcomb are presumed to be the starting inside linebackers entering the 2023 season. Holcomb was quick to identify how critical the cohesiveness is to Pittsburgh establishing itself as a premiere run defense with such a large turnover at the position.
“I haven’t talked about it yet,” Holcomb replied about the new bonding place for the unit. “But shoot man, it can be at my house. It could be in the meeting room.”
Holcomb spoke those words with urgency. It wasn’t a ho-hum observation. If there is a problem this unit is going to get together and figure it out. Dancing around the issues doesn’t appear to be something his five-year veteran takes likely.
“If something is an issue with the back seven, we are going to meet,” Holcomb said. “So, we can get it all squared away. We are the ones out there on the field. We must figure out a way to communicate properly.”
It’s early in the process. The second day of OTAs and the rookie just got together a few weeks ago leave the inside linebackers needing to come together in a quick seamless manner. The longer it takes the longer on-field success can be achieved.
“A lot of people think it’s a game, but it isn’t that easy to pick up on,” Roberts laughed playfully. “It’s harder than you think. That’s why you must get here around this time and get with your teammates and find each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Figured out, ok, what I can do, what I can’t do or what I’m comfortable with. Relate that to the coaches and stuff like that.”
Roberts says training camp is something he is very excited about. The idea of being in a dorm at the campus of St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania should provide the real foundation needed to bring this group up to speed with one another.
“Of course, things will really get going once we are off to training camp,” Roberts said. “It’s a new transition. I’ve never done that before going to the dorm rooms. I think that will be great fun.
“Then as we transition into the season, we will start our own little tradition. It’s cool around this time because the league is always new. With us we just must build our own culture and whatever that may be. To be honest, all seven years of my career.”
Holcomb echoed the same message. In his four years playing in Washington the team was always on cue and getting focused on eliminating mistakes and issues that could derail the success of the unit. The duo of Roberts, a sixth-round pick in 2016 and Holcomb taken in the fifth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft, know the commitment needed off the field to adapt and become successful in the NFL. Every player must step up but the margin for error is much smaller for players drafted late rather than early.
“There are always going to be things that pop up,” Holcomb said. “Some guy might see it a different way than how I see it. We need to talk about it and understand how each other sees it. So, we can play faster. I would always meet with the back seven.”
Expect a new destination called the ‘Big House’ to be established by the time Week 1 arrives for the Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker unit. While the unit is fresh with new faces the residue of seniority and leadership reside in both Roberts and Holcomb.