Communication breakdowns have been the Achilles heel of an otherwise excellent defense over the last few years for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The revolving door of inside linebackers has been a large part of that issue. Whoever wears the green dot to field communication from the coaches on the sideline is effectively the quarterback of the defense, and the Steelers have had a new one in each of the last several seasons. Devin Bush Jr., Myles Jack, Cole Holcomb, Kwon Alexander, Elandon Roberts, and Patrick Queen are just some of the names that have donned the green dot in recent years, and that only goes back as far as 2022.
While Cole Holcomb is unlikely to earn a starting role in a crowded ILB room, he is absolutely invaluable for the Steelers to have and keep around on the roster. Why? Because he’s the only other player with [meaningful green dot experience](https://steelersdepot.com/2023/06/whats-his-role-lb-cole-holcomb/).
Payton Wilson exited college one year before they allowed the green dot in the NCAA, and Malik Harrison was never a full-time starter in Baltimore. In fact, Holcomb has more green dot experience than Queen, who briefly served in that role for the Ravens before Roquan Smith arrived in town and then wore it for all of 2024 in Pittsburgh. Holcomb wore it for half a season in Pittsburgh and [multiple seasons before that in Washington](https://www.commanders.com/news/commanders-very-excited-about-cole-holcomb-s-future), where he served as a team captain in 2022.
Wilson figures to get the first shot to start opposite Queen this season. But regardless of who the other starter is, Holcomb could very well become the every-down green dot player if Queen goes down with an injury. The Steelers saw how miserable it could be in 2023 when several players (including Holcomb) dealt with injuries at the position, and they were left without a defensive quarterback. They had to simplify their scheme and calls, leading to significant issues down the stretch.
It’s easy to forget since he only played eight games in Pittsburgh, but Holcomb was starting to emerge as a very strong player in the Steelers’ defense when he got injured. He was leading the team with 69 total tackles at the time. He struggled in the first few games of the season, learning a new defense and handling the green dot responsibilities, but he started to come on strong in the few games leading up to his injury.
With a surplus of talent at ILB, it’s natural to wonder if somebody like Holcomb could fetch a late-round pick later in camp if other teams are dealing with injuries. I would contend that no late-round pick would be worth as much to the Steelers as the insurance that Holcomb provides.