Steelers Get Discouraging Update on Injured LB

The Steelers were hoping their injured linebacker would return for the 2024 season, but those hopes are dwindling as training camp continues.

Pittsburgh Steelers Cole Holcomb pulls dirt out of his helmet after recovering a fumble during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on October 29, 2023. / Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers were crushed when linebacker Cole Holcomb sustained an injury during the 2023 season. Brought in to be a dependable starter in the middle of the defense, a knee injury sidelined him week nine of the past season and kept him out of action since.

The Steelers were optimistic that Holcomb's rehab would put him in a position to return for the beginning of the 2024 campaign, but he's yet to return to the practice field as training camp opened up.

According to Steelers insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the outlook for the linebacker remains grim. While discussing the state of the linebacker group in camp, Dulac touched on Holcomb's far from ready status.

"Holcomb is still around, though he's not anywhere near being able to play," he wrote. "They might place him on IR or waive him injured," he later wrote.

The Steelers are thankfully still deep at the linebacker position without Holcomb. The team drafted Payton Wilson in this past draft, and he's impressed continuously since joining the organization. He joins star middle linebacker Patrick Queen and the veteran Elandon Roberts to make a formidable trio.

The team would prefer to have another proven veteran on the roster. The team thrived in the initial part of the 2023 season when they had a trio of Holcomb, Roberts, and Kwon Alexander rotating snaps and contributing in different ways. Even with Wilson's sky-high potential, relying too heavily on a rookie in the NFL is a sure fire way to be let down.

The update from Dulac is especially discouraging because the Steelers and Holcomb have maintained a belief that he would be ready in time for 2024. Before the 2024 NFL Draft general manager Omar Khan was vague about his recovery process, but seemed generally confident that he would return soon.

Now into the second week of training camp, the Steelers are coming around to the reality that they won't have Holcomb to begin the season and possible will be without him for the entirety of 2024. That leaves the newly re-signed Tyler Matakevich and Mark Robinson with opportunities to earn larger roles, and Payton Wilson will continue to be looked at as an important contributor for the Steelers' defense.

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