LATROBE, Pa. -- The Steelers have three starters at inside linebacker.
Problem is, they only have two starting inside linebacker spots -- unless, that is, the team gets a little creative.
Some of that creativity was on display Friday as the team opened training camp here at Saint Vincent College. Vince Williams and Mark Barron opened as the starters at inside linebacker in the base 3-4 defense. But when the team went to a dime package, both left the field in favor of rookie Devin Bush.
They mixed and matched from there, but it was Bush, the 10th pick in this year's draft, seeing the majority of time with the first-team dime defense.
"Yeah. I believe we do," Barron said following practice Friday when asked if the Steelers have three starters. "I know I do and I know Vinnie does and I'm sure Devin does, as well. I believe we all see ourselves that way. We're all on the field competing. Whatever is best for the team will happen."
How that all shakes out remains to be seen, but the Steelers do have multiple options now after signing Barron in the offseason as a free agent and moving up in the draft to select Bush. Both offer different skills than 2018 starter Jon Bostic, who was released following the draft, and the Steelers are attempting to figure out the best way to make use of all three. Williams is the run stuffer and also is a solid blitzer. Barron, a converted safety, offers more of a hybrid package. Bush, meanwhile, is a combination of both, a linebacker with the ability to stuff the run, but with 4.41 speed as well.
It might take the rookie some time to adjust to the pro game, but he looks good thus far, including breaking up a pass intended for James Conner on a crossing pattern Friday.
"He came in and was on top of most of it," Barron said of Bush. "He's doing a great job, as far as picking up the defense."
It will continue to be something to keep an eye on throughout this camp, and perhaps even into the regular season. This is a competition that might not be settled anytime soon.
"Really, everybody is competing," Barron said. "They're mixing it up and everyone is competing."
LOLLEY'S VIEW
Bush seems destined to be the dime linebacker, at the very least, as a rookie. We'll see how much more he is capable of doing, but that's a nice role for him at the start. Beyond that, it will depend on how quickly he is capable of picking everything else up. But for now, that's a good fit for him on a team that played dime defense more than any other package in 2018.
Barron also will have some kind of role. It will be interesting to see if it's actually Williams who gets phased out in the sub packages completely.
