Pittsburgh Steelers May Still Find Quick Fix at Inside Linebacker
By Erik Lambert
The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t had what one might call the perfect offseason, but they still feel they’ve done enough to stay atop the AFC.
One problem though they didn’t seem to address was their situation at inside linebacker. Nothing was done of any significance to cover up the loss of Ryan Shazier, their best player at the position. While it’s great news he’s back walking again and progressing in his rehab, the reality doesn’t change. He isn’t going to play in 2018 and it’s possible he may never play again. Thus the question comes up, like it or not. What will the Steelers do to replace him?
Right now it’s looking like Vince Williams and Jon Bostic will be their starters going into this season. That is less than ideal. Williams was a tremendous help to their pass rush with eight sacks but he was not nearly as impactful against the run, which was a huge weak point for the Steelers defense. Bostic is a career journeyman who has never stood out anywhere he’s been. He is an experience presence. Nothing more.
This might explain why Bill Barnwell of ESPN sees them as a prime landing spot for one of the top free agents still available.
"“Even if Bowman isn’t the superstar linebacker we saw before his serious knee injury, it’s a surprise that there isn’t more of a market for a veteran with his level of leadership. There’s one contender with a huge weakness on the interior: the Steelers haven’t really added anyone to replace Ryan Shazier, who won’t be able to play in 2018, besides special-teamer Jon Bostic. Pittsburgh could still bring back Lawrence Timmons, but Bowman’s probably a better player at this point.”"
Bowman can help the Steelers where they need it most
He was one of the best linebackers in football five years ago but everybody knows the story. Multiple injuries seemed to sap his trademark speed and he hasn’t quite been the same. That said don’t sell Bowman short. He still finds a way to make an impact. The Oakland Raiders benefitted from his presence last season, particularly against the run. Through their first six games of 2017, the Raiders allowed over 100 yards on the ground four times. Over the final 10 after Bowman arrived? They allowed it four times.
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Maybe not a gigantic improvement but an improvement nonetheless. Bowman can be a steadying presence in the middle for this young Steelers defense. Someone who can direct the action and do the dirty work in the trench. His added experience of what it takes to play great defense in the playoffs could be of immeasurable value once January rolls around.