Cole Holcomb is still a major unknown for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
NFL Linebacker Cole Holcomb of the Pittsburgh Steelers appears to be far from fully recovered after suffering a horrific knee injury in 2023.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were completely destroyed by linebacker injuries in 2023. Before Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander suffered injuries that ended their seasons, their group of journeymen linebackers surprised everyone with their performance. The Steelers made significant additions to their linebacker group in the offseason after suffering injuries at the position the previous season. They selected Payton Wilson, a highly athletic linebacker with enormous potential, in the first round and signed Patrick Queen, who had been cut by the Baltimore Ravens.
As OTAs get underway, it appears that Pittsburgh’s linebacker room will consist of Queen, Holcomb, Wilson, and Elandon Roberts, who had an excellent 2023. Cole Holcomb’s health is still very much up in the air, though. It’s unknown if he’s totally recovered from the horrific knee injury that ended the season last year.
The most concerning thing about Holcomb’s status is that he doesn’t participate in OTAs. Naturally, it’s not necessarily a negative thing for a seasoned player to skip OTAs. Veterans frequently take their time getting into the off-season activities. But considering the seriousness of Holcomb’s injury and the length of time he hasn’t played, it makes sense to believe that, should he be healthy, he would be taking part. It’s encouraging that Holcomb isn’t limping or wearing a brace, but he still doesn’t appear to be in perfect health.
Mike Tomlin has never been one to divulge details to the public about anything, but particularly when it comes to his players’ health. Tomlin merely responded, “He’s working to get back to us and doing a heck of a job of doing it,” when questioned about Holcomb’s recuperation.
Although this seems like a positive news on the surface, Tomlin’s response about Holcomb is identical to what he has previously said. When Holcomb’s injury initially occurred, it was likely that he would be ready for the 2024 season to begin. Now, that looks like, at most, a 50/50 prospect.
The expectation is that Holcomb’s recuperation keeps going well and the Steelers won’t have to worry about finding a replacement. But it won’t be simple to replace his output if they don’t have him when the season starts. Holcomb will be difficult to replace, particularly in pass coverage. Cole Holcomb is the best pass-coverage player, even if Queen is an excellent player and Roberts made significant improvements last season. Prior to his injury, Holcomb was Pittsburgh’s top coverage linebacker by a wide margin.
If Holcomb is unable to prepare for the season’s opening, expect Payton Wilson to play a larger role. Wilson will play a big part even with Holcomb on the field. However, Wilson possesses the requisite skill set due to his exceptional athleticism.
to take over as the starting linebacker for the Steelers in coverage. His speed from sideline to sideline is real. If Holcomb loses time, Pittsburgh might try to drop a safety into the box more frequently during passing scenarios. In Holcomb’s absence, a player like Trenton Thompson, if he can make the squad, might be an important rotational piece.
