Steelers Pushing One Veteran Out of Lineup

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers may already be moving on from one of their veteran defenders.

Through the first few days of training camp practice, there have been plenty of takeaways, both good and bad. One that's been glaringly obvious, though, is that the Steelers don't have a place for inside linebacker Malik Harrison. And already, it feels like they're moving on.

Harrison was a bit of a surprising name to arrive at training camp. Carrying a $6.7 million cap hit, Harrison is expensive as a backup linebacker. Add Cole Holcomb re-signing to the mix, and it just felt like there wasn't room for Harrison and the role he'd be required to fill with such a large salary.

Plus, Harrison saves the Steelers over $4 million if released.

But he's still in Pittsburgh. His role, however, seems to be all but gone.

Harrison hasn't taken any first or second-team reps during training camp and seems to only be working with the last group of defenders on the field. He's also been removed from the starting group of special teamers, which is what he was signed to contribute to more than defense last season.

Unless something drastically changes, it appears names like Jacoby Windman, Carson Bruener and Jamin Davis are all ahead of Harrison on the depth chart.

So, What Happens Next?

There's really no need for the Steelers to cut Harrison today, but it wouldn't be surprising if they did. They can view him as an insurance policy for Holcomb and Bruener, with an experienced veteran behind them in case of injury.

They could also see if he performs well in the preseason and gains any trade value. Right now, he probably doesn't have much, but if teams are looking, maybe that changes. A conditional seventh-round pick is still better than nothing.

Can Harrison Save His Job?

The answer to this is probably yes. It's still early enough in training camp that Harrison could force his way up the depth chart. With pads coming on this week, it's going to require him being one of the best linebackers on the field. Anything less probably doesn't move the needle enough to force change.

Anything is possible, though. We've seen players climb and fall from many depths, and Harrison could do the same. Right now, though, he's on the outside looking in, and the Steelers to already be looking at other options to replace him.

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