Steelers Receive Disheartening News About Injured Linebacker.
The Pittsburgh Steelers faced a major setback when linebacker Cole Holcomb suffered an injury during the 2023 season. Signed to be a reliable starter in the middle of their defense, he was sidelined with a knee injury in Week 9 and has not played since.
The team had hoped that Holcomb’s rehabilitation would allow him to return for the start of the 2024 season, but as training camp began, he has not yet rejoined practice.
Steelers insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Holcomb’s situation looks bleak. While discussing the linebacker group in camp, he noted that Holcomb is still around but is far from being game-ready. He mentioned the possibility of Holcomb being placed on injured reserve or waived due to his condition.
Fortunately, the Steelers have depth at linebacker despite Holcomb’s absence. They drafted Payton Wilson, who has consistently impressed since joining the team, and he joins star middle linebacker Patrick Queen and veteran Elandon Roberts to form a strong trio.
While the team would prefer to have another established veteran, they thrived early in the 2023 season with a rotation of Holcomb, Roberts, and Kwon Alexander. Despite Wilson’s high potential, leaning too heavily on a rookie could lead to disappointment.
Dulac’s update is particularly disheartening because both the Steelers and Holcomb had maintained hope for his timely recovery for 2024. Before the 2024 NFL Draft, general manager Omar Khan was somewhat vague about Holcomb’s recovery, but appeared optimistic.
Now, in the second week of training camp, the Steelers are facing the reality of not having Holcomb at the start of the season and possibly for all of 2024. This opens up opportunities for newly re-signed Tyler Matakevich and Mark Robinson to step into larger roles, while Payton Wilson is expected to be an important contributor to the defense.
