Pittsburgh Steelers: Signing Jon Bostic solves half an issue
The defending AFC North champion Pittsburgh Steelers finally dipped into free agency and found a player that could help their inconsistent defensive unit.
Mike Tomlin’s team is coming off a season in which the club won 13 games. It was the franchise’s best showing since finishing 15-1 in 2004. But that season ended the same way this past campaign did. There was a home playoff loss and the failure of the Pittsburgh Steelers to reach a Super Bowl.
One of the team’s bigger issues was an erratic defensive unit. It was a group that failed to answer the bell before and after inside linebacker Ryan Shazier went down in Week 13 at Cincinnati. Coordinator Keith Butler’s unit was gouged on the ground too often. There was a regular-season (231 yards rushing) and playoff loss (164) to the Jacksonville Jaguars. And there was also a Week 3 overtime setback to the Chicago Bears. The team allowed 222 yards rushing in that defeat.
That’s why general manager Kevin Colbert may have made a very wise move in adding free-agent inside linebacker Jon Bostic. In 2017, he played and started 14 games for the Indianapolis Colts. But he did miss the final two games of 2017 with a knee injury.
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He finished second on that club with 97 tackles. Bostic also totaled one sack, a fumble recovery and three passes defensed. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the former Michigan Wolverine will sign a two-year deal with the club.
As the Steelers look to fill the hole left by Shazier (who will not play in 2018 according to Colbert), they have added a performer who earned high marks for his run-stopping ability. The staff at Pro Football Focus has him ranked 18th in the league when it comes to players at his position in regards to rushing defense.
Then again, that’s only half of the equation when it comes to the Pittsburgh defense. Bostic is not known for his pass-coverage ability and that’s something that Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin must still address.
In four NFL seasons in which he’s played (54 regular-season games), the 2013 second-round pick of the Chicago Bears has one interception and knocked down seven passes. Since 2015, Shazier has seven picks and 24 passes defensed. He also totaled two interceptions during the team’s three-game postseason run in 2016.
Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Post-free agency 3 rounds
Adding a healthy Bostic is a positive step for a Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive unit that never did recover from losing their inspirational leader at inside linebacker.