LATROBE, Pa. -- Omar Khan placed a stamp on his linebacker overhaul with the signing of veteran and former Pro Bowler Kwon Alexander to a one-year contract Sunday.
Now, with three seasoned veterans with skill sets ranging within the passing and running game, the heat has been turned up to the nth degree on fellow newcomers Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts, as well as the lone returner in Mark Robinson.
As he exited the field on a much more brisk Sunday at Saint Vincent College, Alexander said he is adding to a linebackers room that already has much going for it.
“I can do it all, the majority of it all, and they can do it, too," Alexander said after practice. "I’ve been watching them out here and they can do it all, too. They’ve been working to be the best linebacker group there is.”
Alexander, 28, recorded 69 tackles and 42 solo with 6.0 for loss and one-half of a sack last season with the Jets, his eighth in the NFL after being drafted in the fourth round by the Buccaneers in 2015. Alexander led the NFL with 108 solo tackles in 2016 and was named to the Pro Bowl following the 2017 season at 23 years old.
His career has been hampered by injuries. He played in 14 total games between the 2018 and 2019 seasons after dealing with knee and chest issues, and a torn Achilles knocked him out of the 2021 season after 12 games. A healthy Alexander has proven to be a tackling machine, and his role alongside former green-dot wearers Holcomb and Roberts can be the thing that gets his career back on track.
"Really excited about adding Kwon Alexander to the group," Mike Tomlin said after practice. "There's a solid NFL player with a lot of in-game experience, and he's got both experience, but at the same time he's still 28 years old and I think competition is an awesome thing. We don't have any preconceived notions about a role. We've got some very capable guys at that position. We'll put him in an environment like this and let them sort themselves out. Just really excited about the redevelopment of that positional room with E-Roberts and Cole and now him. Pretty cool thing. We'll just keep working those guys and allow those guys to show what they're capable of. The awesome thing about it is they may be new to us but they're not new to professional football, and I think that has quickly been revealed through this process with how all those guys communicate and how quickly Kwon was able to insert himself into the action today."
As Tomlin said, Alexander did not waste much time getting right into the action. Though he began practice over on the adjacent turf field here attached at the hip to linebackers coach Aaron Curry, he was thrust into team drills as the inside linebacker with the third-team defense by the end of the team portion of practice. On his first play, Alexander took Zach Gentry away from his route with some contact.
Alexander earned a coverage grade of 58.5 last season, according to Pro Football Focus. That places him right in the middle of Holcomb's grade of 67.0 and Roberts' 43.1 from last season. Roberts was an elite pass rusher as his grade of 90.1 led all NFL inside linebackers, while Alexander turned a respectable grade of 73.6.
So, there might be some roles to identify with this group, but it is also clear where each of their strengths lie. Holcomb is the likely three-down backer and would wear the green dot, while Roberts helps specialize in blitzing and pass-rushing scenarios while Alexander helps fill into both.
That would leave Robinson in a bit of a pickle, but now Curry, Tomlin, and Teryl Austin will not have to worry about rushing a linebacker with so little experience into a defense -- and a position group -- that is loaded with it.
“I’m excited. I think Kwon’s a hell of a player," Holcomb said after Sunday's morning walkthrough. "I think he’s going to bring a lot to that room, and it’s great competition. It’s good to bring it in. I’m excited to get to work with him.”
The overhaul at the position is now complete. As mentioned, Robinson is the lone holdover from the 2022 room that featured Devin Bush, Myles Jack, Robert Spillane, Marcus Allen and Robinson.
The 2023 room now has Holcomb, Roberts, Alexander, Robinson, Tanner Muse and Nick Kwiakowski to boast as options. Muse feels like more of a special teamer while the Bethel Park native Kwiatkowski feels like an odd-man out, but that still will be sorted out through two more weeks of camp.
At the end of the day, that room needed to go through a makeover, and it did.
“I feel like every linebacker in the room right now, they can being a certain aspect to our room," Roberts said. "We’ve just got to continue to come together as a group, continue to display leadership, communication. Tuesday you’ll start seeing the physical traits coming in on the field (when pads officially go on), but I don’t think it’s just based off me, Cole, Kwon, Mark Rob. It’s based off us as a collective group. It’s a 17-week season and we’re going to need everyone."
Alexander visited the Steelers in late May and began establishing the relationship. Now, he has a playbook to learn, a defense to fit into, and a new culture to adapt to.
“Any kind of role they need me to play, I’m going to be able to go out, handle and do my job, and make big plays," Alexander said. “… I’m happy to compete. It’s part of the game. Those guys are some great players. I’m happy to be here with them, and we’re going to work.”
Tomlin, Holcomb, and Alexander were not shy to adhere to the concept of competition for this inside linebackers room. Roberts shared the same sentiment.
“I think competition pushes the room to be better," Roberts said. "I love competition. I hate to be feeling complacent because sometimes you might miss something in your own development, so I love to be pushed and I feel like that makes the team better when it’s a competitive practice every day.”
