Roughly 12 hours after news broke that Robert Spillane left via free agency, the Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly agreed to terms with his apparent replacement.
Former Washington Commanders inside linebacker Cole Holcomb is set to join the Steelers on a three-year deal, according to the NFL Network. Holcomb, who will turn 27 during the first week of training camp, has been a four-year starter since being signed as an undrafted rookie by Washington in 2019.
The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Holcomb was limited to seven games last season because of injury, including a foot ailment that required surgery. A middle linebacker in the Commanders’ 4-3 defense last season, Holcomb figures to enter 2023 as one of the Steelers’ starters at inside linebacker.
Spillane and Devin Bush entered the offseason as free agents, and it seems clear the Steelers are done with the latter, a former No. 10 overall pick who tumbled down the depth chart late last season. Veteran Myles Jack remains on the roster despite an $11.25 million cap hit, and Mark Robinson flashed potential late in the season as a raw rookie seventh-round pick.
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Terms of Holcomb’s contract were not immediately available.
Tuesday evening, Spillane agreed to a 2-year, $9 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Holcomb comes with a reputation of being solid in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, in 2021 (the most recent full season he played) Holcomb played 587 snaps in coverage — the eighth-most of any “off-ball” linebacker in the NFL. Four years ago, Holcomb ran the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds at his North Carolina pro day.
COLE HOLCOMB PICK-6!
— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2021
Back-to-back #WashingtonFootball TDs makes it a 7-point game.
????: #DALvsWAS on FOX
????: NFL app pic.twitter.com/JfA5mMmLaS
Holcomb finished 10th in the NFL in overall tackles (142) and 13th in solo tackles (83) in 2021, a season during which he also had two interceptions, an interception returned for a touchdown, seven passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
While Holcomb accounted for five takeaways during 2021 alone, the entire Steelers inside linebackers corps combined for zero last season.
No signings are official until the start of the NFL new league year at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Holcomb joins veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson and guard Nate Herbig as additions made in free agency by the Steelers.
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