The Steelers could be listening on Cole Holcomb before Tuesday’s deadline, even as they sit 6-2 and in the middle of a season that has kept them in the hunt. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer said Holcomb is a name that could be on the move, writing that the Steelers are sniffing around at receiver and could deal the veteran linebacker.
That is why Holcomb is suddenly part of the conversation. The Steelers have played their way into contention through their first eight games of the 2026 season, yet they are still being linked to a move that would send a veteran defender out rather than only bringing help in. Holcomb has been with the team since 2023, but his role has been limited this season.
The numbers show how small that role has been. Holcomb has one tackle and four assisted tackles this season after missing the entire 2024 season with a knee injury. He is a backup linebacker, and the depth chart behind Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen has not been a strength. Wilson and Queen have both had arguably their best seasons with the team, which helps explain why Pittsburgh can even consider moving on from a veteran depth piece without unsettling the top of the rotation.
That is also where the friction sits. A team that is 6-2 does not usually act like it needs to strip away depth at a position where the starter play has exceeded expectations, but the Steelers appear willing to weigh that against what they might still add elsewhere. Breer’s note does not mean a deal is done, only that Holcomb is a name to watch before November 10th.
For Holcomb, the next week decides whether his season stays quiet or becomes a deadline move. For the Steelers, the question is whether a contender that is already winning will choose to stay with its current linebacker group or use its flexibility to reshape it one more time before the deadline passes.
