Sometimes the best moves to make can be the most familiar ones, and that is Elandon Roberts, who played with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2023-24 before joining the Las Vegas Raiders, and has now returned on a one-year deal, helping solidify the depth at the inside linebacker position. Roberts, a sixth-round draft pick out of the University of Houston in 2016, became an immediate contributor with the New England Patriots under then-head coach Bill Belichick, helping the Patriots win two Super Bowls. In 2022, he joined the Miami Dolphins, where he notched a career-high number of sacks (4.5). Despite being 32 years old, Roberts is expected to slide in as a valuable depth piece who won't need to be relied upon as a full-time starter in Pittsburgh's now four-man linebacker room. Roberts reunites with former teammates Patrick Queen, Cole Holcomb, and Payton Wilson, as well as his defensive coordinator in Las Vegas, Patrick Graham, who is now the Steelers' defensive coordinator. He brings a reliable track record of stopping the run downhill and crashing the A-gap.
Looking back on his time with the Raiders in 2025, he was fourth in tackles and also recorded 16 run stuffs. Roberts has yet to lose his speed in diagnosing plays at the line of scrimmage or his excellent pop. Bringing a violent playing style would sideline many in his shoes, but he played in all 17 games last season, proving his durability. In 2023, Roberts called plays for the Steelers all while wearing the green dot, further showing he is a reliable veteran who can be the glue guy holding defenses together.
As for where he fits, he'll be their thumper on sub-packages, playing primarily on the goal line and early downs, specializing in run defense, blowing up pulling and stacking interior linemen and inside rushing lanes. Roberts is going to be an enforcer, situationally used, who will offset and keep the younger, faster linebackers, such as Wilson, Queen, and Carson Bruener, fresh. He'll shoot inside gaps well, creating little to no yardage gains on rushing attempts. Graham's defensive scheme and talent can help mask and substitute for Roberts' deficiencies in coverage, especially on third-and-long. He'll be a highly effective player who will not be under a heavier workload, offsetting the sideline-to-sideline speed of Queen and Wilson, who may fatigue from physical rushing attacks at times.
Lastly, Roberts will play on four packages of Graham's this fall: the Big Nickel box package (five DB formations, featuring hard-hitting safeties inside the box, hybrid 3-4 front, elite perimeter speed), goal-line and short-heavy fronts (3-4 traditional base, or 4-4, compressed field areas restricting offenses), second-level blitzes (second and third level blitz, multiple angles of unexpected pressure), and five-down spacing run-pressure fronts (five-man alignment, versatility in front, off ball backers attacking instantly).
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers bring back fan-favorite LB, reuniting him with Patrick Graham
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