Getty Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb is out for the season with a knee injury.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have already signed three experienced middle linebackers during 2023. Bleacher Report’s NFL staff argued the Steelers should make it a fourth with free agent linebacker Anthony Barr.
“The Steelers already needed help at linebacker going into the Thursday night game against the Titans. Then Cole Holcomb suffered a season-ending knee injury, and the need became even worse,” the BR NFL staff wrote. “The Steelers’ chances of continuing to win rely on playing good defense, so finding a veteran who can fill in could be crucial.
“Anthony Barr is among the most qualified free agents to take that job. He started 10 games for the Cowboys last season and compiled 58 total tackles with two for a loss, a sack and four quarterback hits.”
As Bleacher Report noted, Cole Holcomb will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury he sustained against the Tennessee Titans during Week 9.
Holcomb will be a difficult player to replace, as he is tied for the team lead with 54 combined tackles. He also leads all Steelers linebackers with 447 defensive snaps.
But Barr is an intriguing veteran option. He made the Pro Bowl four consecutive years with the Minnesota Vikings from 2015-18. That landed him a five-year, $67.5 million contract with $33 million guaranteed.
How Anthony Barr Could Potentially Fit With the Steelers
At 31 years old, Barr is no longer in his prime. But as a former first-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, he has remained a productive player since his Pro Bowl years.
Barr has played 11 games or more in three of the past four seasons. During each of those three campaigns, he reached at least 58 combined tackles and 4 quarterback hits.
In 2021, his last season with the Vikings, Barr had 72 combined tackles with 3 tackles for loss, 5 pass defenses and a career-best 3 interceptions. In addition to 58 combined tackles, 4 quarterback hits and a sack last season with the Dallas Cowboys, he had 2 forced fumbles.
Barr missed three games because of a hamstring strain in 2022. But during the final four games of the season, he played 80.5% of Dallas’s snaps on defense.
The 31-year-old wouldn’t play that much for Pittsburgh immediately. More than likely, he would need some time to get back into game shape and acclimated to the Steelers defense.
But without Holcomb the rest of the season, the Steelers could use a veteran presence in the linebacker core who can play in a lot of different situations.
In 112 career games, Barr has posted 553 combined tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 48 quarterback hits, and 18.5 sacks. He also has 5 interceptions, 8 forced fumbles, 9 fumble recoveries and 32 pass defenses.
Holcomb played 76.9% of Pittsburgh defensive snaps in the first eight games. The Steelers signed Holcomb to a three-year, $18 million contract this past offseason.
Pittsburgh’s Current Roster Options to Replace Cole Holcomb
While it makes sense to connect the Steelers to free agent veteran linebackers after Holcomb’s injury, the team still has depth and experience on the roster at the position.
In addition to signing Holcomb this past offseason, the Steelers added Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander in free agency. Roberts has been better against the run while Alexander has done well in pass coverage this season. But both will likely see more playing time in all situations without Holcomb.
Second-year linebacker Mark Robinson could also play more. Robinson started two games as a rookie last season. He has lined up for 4 defensive snaps in eight games this year.
Alexander and Roberts have both started more than 80 games in their NFL careers. That experience could go a long way to replacing Holcomb.
But looking to add another veteran option such as Barr for depth isn’t a bad idea.