The Pittsburgh Steelers reached agreement with Elandon Roberts on a one-year contract, bringing back a familiar inside linebacker just before the team opens the preseason Thursday at Acrisure Stadium. Roberts returns after spending 2025 with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The move gives the Steelers another option behind Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson, and it comes at a moment when roster depth begins to matter. Roberts logged 147 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two passes defended and one forced fumble in 33 games for Pittsburgh, with 29 starts across the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
That track record is why his return lands with weight now. Roberts was a steady part of the black and gold defense before leaving, and he also worked under Patrick Graham with the Las Vegas Raiders, a connection that helped keep his name in the conversation as the Steelers looked for help in the middle of the defense. He started all but one game last year for Las Vegas and finished with 90 tackles and six tackles for loss, showing he can handle a larger workload when needed.
What is not yet clear is how quickly Roberts will be folded back into the rotation, or whether Pittsburgh sees him only as insurance behind Queen and Wilson or as a more active piece in the weeks ahead. The agreement is already in place, though, and the next confirmed checkpoint is simple: the Steelers take the field Thursday at 7 p.m. against Green Bay.
