One of the biggest moves of the 2019 offseason/season for the Pittsburgh Steelers was the trade up in the first round to land linebacker Devin Bush. The cost was high but the Steelers knew what kind of playmaker they were getting. The Steelers also made a free agent move when they signed Mark Barron. All this was with the hope these guys could replace Ryan Shazier. Did they do it? The short answer is sort of.

Here’s a look back at the inside linebackers from last season.

Devin Bush

Pittsburgh’s super rookie was as advertised last season as he led the team in tackles with 109. He didn’t make the volume of splash plays some might have expected but his overall production was solid. The Steelers managed Bush’s snaps in the middle of the season, I assume in hopes of having him fresh later on down the line. It will be interesting to see how Bush’s development will impact roster decisions with the rest of these players.

Mark Barron

It was confounding how the Steelers kept trotting Barron out onto the field despite his struggles and lack of effort. Despite finishing with 82 tackles and three sacks, it will be the missteps we remember Barron for. He has to be one of the guys on the roster bubble due to his salary.

Vince Williams

With Barron and Bush, Williams got somewhat lost in the shuffle last season. Williams only started eight games and finished with only 52 tackles. We get he’s not as athletic as Barron but given the circumstances, Williams ability to stuff the run and play with maximum intensity on every play.

Tyler Matakevich

Matakevich continued to be a star on special teams while offering very little on defense. No one expects big things from Matakevich on defense but with him being an unrestricted free agent this offseason it will be interesting to see if Pittsburgh chooses to go in a different direction.

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