PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan)- The Steelers were one of just a few teams that made a deal before the NFL’s trade deadline on Tuesday.
The trade came later Sunday night when they acquired inside linebacker Avery Williamson from the Jets for a 2022 fifth-round pick.
With Devin Bush lost for the season, the Steelers now have Vince Williams, Robert Spillane and Williamson to help replace his production in the middle.
RADIO.COM Sports NFL insider Brian Baldinger spends his days breaking down game film and presenting it in a way that people can understand.
He joined The Fan Morning Show Thursday and gave his two cents on how the Steelers should play these linebackers moving forward.
“Every team now has multiple defenses for every situation. I mean, there was a period last year down the stretch for the Steelers when the defense was trying to win every game for them, where they didn’t play any linebackers. They played seven defensive backs and their front four. They haven’t done that yet this year.
Look, Avery Williamson is a good coverage linebacker. When they get out of New York and they get to Pittsburgh, it’s Christmas every day.
So, you’re going to get a very motivated, athletic linebacker.”
Then he turned his attention to the man who’s gotten most of the snaps at that position since Bush went down.
“Spillane has played well, obviously. Crushing Derrick Henry on the goal line kind of caught everybody’s eyes with what he did. Third play of the game, it’s 7-0 because of him last week. He finishes the game with a fumble recovery. I mean, when you’re making those kind of plays, you’re not taking that guy off the field.
But at the same time, the speed of Devin Bush is missed. He played the game like a cobra, the way that he struck and how quick he was. So, you’ve got to cobble that kind of thing together. Vince Williams has played very well. Spillane has played well in this two games.
But if you get a third guy in there and you’re going up against the Kansas City Chiefs and somebody’s got to cover Clyde Edwards-Helaire or Le’Veon Bell right now, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to take an Avery Williamson and put him on that or an athletic tight end. You get to January and you’re playing sudden death playoff games.”