The Pittsburgh Steelers and veteran inside linebacker Cole Holcomb agreed to a restructured contract for the 2025 season, it was reported Thursday by NFL Network.
Under the terms of a thee-year free-agent deal signed in March 2023, Holcomb was due $6 million in compensation and to count $7.64 million against the salary cap this season. The new deal lowers the cap hit by $4 million, per the report.
Holcomb has not played since suffering a major knee injury during a Nov. 3, 2023, game. He spent all of last season on the physically unable to perform list but was cleared to practice in advance of the regular-season finale.
Signed two years ago to a three-year, $18 million deal with the intention to play the vast majority of the snaps in the middle of the Steelers’ defense, Holcomb, if healthy, likely would serve more in a complementary role in an inside linebackers corps now headed by Patrick Queen and emerging 2024 third-round pick Payton Wilson. Veteran Elandon Roberts is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency next week. Fourth-year pro Mark Robinson — primarily a special-teamer — also returns.
Holcomb, who turns 29 in July, played his first four seasons for Washington after being a fifth-round pick of the then-Redskins in 2019. In 58 career games (56 starts), the 6-foot-1, 240-pound Holcomb has 442 tackles (270 solo, 19 for loss), 4½ sacks, seven forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
