Who is One Inside Linebacker the Steelers Should Consider in Free Agency This Offseason?

[Steeler Nation]

If Pittsburgh Steelers fans were asked what the biggest weakness on defense would’ve been from the 2021 season, it’s almost a for sure bet that you would get middle linebacker as an answer. Devin Bush, one year removed from an ACL tear, struggled mightily throughout the season in multiple faces of the game and Joe Schobert didn’t end up living up the the potentional they originally thought they had when they aquired him from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2022 6th round pick. Some of these struggles you can look to the injury plagued defensive line and agree that losing Stephon Tuitt for the entire season and Tyson Alualu in week two defintely added some pressure to the linebacking core.


With the Steelers recent hiring of Miami Dolphins former head coach Brian Flores as the linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant, it would be safe to assume that Bush will have his 5th-year option excercised and give Flores an opportunity to work with Bush. The Steelers this offseason can free up more then 7 million in cap space if they do indeed decide to release Joe Schobert. So, it would appear the likely option is the Steelers release Schobert and look to the draft to bolster the middle linebacker position but who is one free agent that may get overlooked and yet could still add value and depth to the Steelers roster in 2022? Leighton Vander Esch.


Vander Esch had a strong rookie season recording 140 total tackles and 102 solo tackles and it appeared as if he was going to be the long term solution for the Dallas Cowboys at inside linebacker. His 2019 and 2020 seasons were a much different story due to being plagued with injuries and only appeared in 19 games combined over the two seasons. In 2021, Vander Esch appeared in all 17 games and started 16 of them but he did see a steap decline in snap count when compared to his rookie season. Although his playing time decreased, he did have career best numbers when it came to pass coverage rating and completion perecentage which are positive signs for the next team to sign Vander Esch. If he ends up hitting free agency, the Steelers should most definetly be in contact with him and be able to sign him to a team friendly deal somewhere along the line of 5 to 6 million per year. Doing so, along with adding another linebacker on day two of the draft, this inside linebacking crew could look a lot better come next season and with the linebackers now working with Flores, who knows what could happen?

What are your thoughts on the Steelers options at inside linebacker Steeler Nation? Leave a comment in the comment section below!

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[Stryker]

I'm all for this!

And If I sigh VDE, I'm cutting Schobert.

 

[Slaine]

A lot of the better free agents are lighter off the ball linebackers. If we decide that Bush is going to be better after another year's recovery from his ACL then we need someone that can fill the holes and maybe add some pass rush. I like LVE in that role - but I also wonder whether Anthont Barr could come in and do that too. He's a tremendous athlete, it just depends how healthy he is and how much he has left in the tank.

 

[madinsomniac]

Leighton Vander Eshe wins the most douchebaggy name ever award… it would be a real shame if he was a nice guy with that moniker lol

It totally sounds like a eastern european movie villian name or a snobby college frat jackass

Lol

 

[troymania]

I like Wagner (pricey) and LVE (injury prone). Both are very talented. I really like Chad Muma-Wyoming, Damone-LSU, Chanel, and Sandborn from Wisconsin.