Last spring, with Lawrence Timmons entering his eighth season and Sean Spence attempting to make a miraculous comeback from a knee injury, the Steelers invested two draft choices in inside linebackers to help improve their depth at the position.
Any fears of Timmons slowing down or Spence not being able to play were quickly put to rest. Timmons recorded 134 tackles and earned second-team All-Pro honors, and Spence overcame long odds to start nine games.
It’s a good thing, too, because the rookies they selected spent most of the season in the training room dealing with injuries.