The Steelers are 6-2, and that usually means the conversation should be about whether they are adding, not subtracting. But Albert Breer has now named veteran linebacker Cole Holcomb as a player who could be on the move before Tuesday’s deadline, and that is exactly the kind of detail that makes this deadline worth watching.
This is not a shocking development. Holcomb has had a minimal role this season, and the Steelers have also been sniffing around at receiver. In other words, Pittsburgh is in a spot where it can think about reshuffling the roster while the season is still pointing in the right direction.
Why Holcomb is suddenly part of the conversation
Holcomb has been with the Steelers since 2023, but the 2024 season was wiped out by a knee injury, and his impact in the 2026 season has been extremely limited. Through the first eight games, he has recorded one tackle and four assisted stops. That is not the profile of a player who is forcing the issue for a larger role.
That matters because this is not just about one player struggling to find a foothold. It is about roster construction. Behind Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen, the inside linebacker depth looks thin enough that moving Holcomb would be a real decision, not just a paperwork exercise. If the Steelers are willing to part with him, it says plenty about how they view the rest of the room.
A move that would make sense, but not without a cost
There is a logic to it. Holcomb has not played enough to be indispensable, and a team sitting at 6-2 can afford to think opportunistically if the return is right. But there is also a reason to pause. A roster can look fine on paper and still become fragile very quickly, especially at a position where depth tends to matter the moment injuries or fatigue show up.
So the question is not whether Holcomb is a star. He is not. The real question is whether the Steelers are comfortable making another move while still trying to protect their own linebacker depth. With the NFL trade deadline set for November 10th, that is the tension here: a team in good position trying to balance flexibility against the risk of thinning out an already shallow spot.
Breer’s note does not mean a deal is inevitable. But it does make one thing clear: Cole Holcomb is now firmly in the trade conversation, and the Steelers may be weighing whether his value is greater to them on the roster or in a deal before Tuesday’s deadline.
