Penciled in as Steelers starter, Robert Spillane vows to improve, mesh with Devin Bush

During a video conference call with media this week, Robert Spillane referenced his season exit meeting with Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.

Spillane didn’t say Tomlin definitively told him the team expects Spillane to be one of their starting inside linebackers in 2021. But so far, the Steelers’ actions have done all the talking.

The Steelers cut Vince Williams and have not added any significant inside linebackers via free agency. (Though the Steelers signed Miles Killebrew away from the Detroit Lions, his emphasis is special teams; Killebrew has played just 25 snaps at inside linebacker over the past three seasons).

“A sportscar versus a pickup truck?”

Robert Spillane does not at all like - or agree with - that famous characterization of his coverage abilities on WRs.
And he says Mike Tomlin doesn't, either.

Being in coverage is actually Spillane's strengthhttps://t.co/D3M2JQlwwy

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) March 29, 2021

Spillane, though, insists his status on the depth chart won’t shape his approach to preparations for the season.

“I don’t pencil myself in anywhere because nothing’s guaranteed,” Spillane said. “Nothing’s given to you. I know I’m going to have to go in to (organized team activities and minicamp) and earn everything that I have.

“I don’t expect anything to be given to me. I don’t want anything to be given to me. I expect to go out there and earn it. Go through the offseason program and show that I can be a better player than I was last year. Show that I’ve gotten better — that’s my goal every year. Nothing’s changed with that. I look forward to getting back with the guys and showing the improvements I’ve made this offseason and going from there.”

Steelers ILB Robert Spillane on starting next to Devin Bush in 2021 pic.twitter.com/g7HARtXopw

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) March 29, 2021

Before Devin Bush suffered a torn ACL five games into last season, Spillane’s NFL regular-season experience was limited to one snap over 10 games between the Tennessee Titans (2018) and Steelers (2019). But Spillane replaced Bush as a starting inside linebacker (when healthy) the remainder of the season.

This season, Spillane figures to start next to Bush, as Williams’ replacement. As the players in the middle of the Steelers’ defense, Bush and Spillane will be counted on for communicating calls and signals. Williams especially was considered part of the heart of the Steelers’ defense.

Despite not having played together during the regular season, Spillane said he and Bush have a good on-field rapport.

“We have been working together for the past two years,” Spillane said. “I know and understand his style of communication and his play. So I think we feed in well with each other, we work well together and we’ve been able to do that off the field, so now it’s just going to be translating to taking our communication styles and meshing them together to get the best message to the teammates.”

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