Mark Robinson is among the Steelers’ most vulnerable veterans to miss the 53-man roster this season due to personnel turnover. Including some 2024 free-agent signings, veteran players lose jobs to the incoming class every year. The Steelers could see some pretty significant roster turnover in 2025, though, and in fact, they have already started.
After the efforts of last season, the Steelers will be examining their roster closely in August. Frankly, if there is a tie between a returning veteran and a new player, the new one may well win. Especially in certain areas of the roster, like the defensive line, they want to try something different.
Mark Robinson
The Steelers have an overabundance of inside linebackers with rosterable ability, Mark Robinson among them. A former seventh-round pick, he has made it through 75 percent of his rookie contract and hopes to finish it. But with Pittsburgh drafting Carson Bruener, it’s possible that he has played his last game in the Black and Gold.
When he entered the 2022 NFL Draft, Mark Robinson was a raw linebacker. He had just converted from running back, so he has been learning his job since the Steelers drafted him. Entering Year 4, he isn’t likely to see any kind of defensive role, though.
That means special teams is his calling card, but what if they have someone else who can answer the phone? The Steelers certainly know Carson Bruener’s number, considering his father is a former player and current scout for the team. Mark Robinson doesn’t have any family ties—but he does have a mini highlight reel.
The thing is, Mark Robinson isn’t just a special teamer for the Steelers. Somewhat surprisingly for me, he has turned himself into a core contributor and playmaker. Somewhat similar to Roosevelt Nix—though fortunately he hasn’t had any fake punt carries—he can deliver that big hit that knocks the ball loose. The Steelers like that.
But do they like it enough to carry him over someone with potentially higher defensive upside? Do they like Robinson enough to, say, carry six inside linebackers? If they do that, they would be sacrificing at another position. It’s not out of the question, but also not terribly likely.
Now, there’s nothing saying that the Steelers will definitely keep Bruener and cut Robinson. They drafted Bruener thinking that he could make the team—otherwise, why bother?—but they compete for a reason. And it’s not necessarily one or the other. Maybe Cole Holcomb doesn’t work out and they make it work with these two in the rest of the group.
