Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers Linebacker Flashing Outstanding Coverage Skills

Originally posted on Steelers Now | By Nick Farabaugh | Last updated 10/23/23

The Steelers have tried to find a guy that can fill even one-tenth of the shoes that Ryan Shazier left behind. Names of the past come up from the saga of inside linebackers, including Jon Bostic, Mark Barron, Devin Bush, and others in the endless quest to find the perfect guy. Yet, the team is making the inside linebackers do as much as they have this year in a while. They have put more on their plate. But when guys like Kwon Alexander show out and ball out as they do, where is the harm is specializing their roles in a committee and asking them to do what they do best?

Kwon Alexander is one of the better inside linebackers to play for the Steelers in recent years. This inside linebacker room feels like one that will round into shape as perhaps the best the team has had in a long time. But Alexander is already there as a unique player in that regard. He’s a standout coverage linebacker. Since Ryan Shazier got injured, how many of those have they had? I’d say zero. This team has struggled to find a coverage linebacker at any point in this season, and yet, at this point, Alexander is now playing at a high level.

He has the veteran instincts after being in the league for as long as he has, but Alexander is excelling with his athleticism, too. Alexander is the perfect player for this type of defense, where they have a rotational role at inside linebacker and cater to his strengths because those strengths are shining extremely bright.

This group is turning the corner. Alexander might be the best of the bunch. He can do a little bit of everything. When he earned a starting job designation on the depth chart, his game started to showcase what it could be on the field in Latrobe. As a hard-hitter, he fits right in with the other players in that mentality. When he was on, he thumped a few running backs shortly into his stay. His second practice with the team back in August was in pads. That day was simply a sign of things to come.

Ultimately, it has been an impressive last few games for Alexander after the group had a rocky start to the year as they learned each other’s strengths and weaknesses. But now that the rotation is down and Alexander’s coverage ability is at the forefront, his strength becomes even more evident with the more tape you watch.