The Pittsburgh Steelers have made headlines with their first free agent move of 2025, bringing in former Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Malik Harrison on a two-year, $10 million contract. His signing seems to mark the end of Elandon Roberts’ tenure, as he’s set to join the Las Vegas Raiders.
So, what are the Steelers gaining with Harrison? Will he be a direct swap for Roberts, or offer something different? To find out, let’s break down Harrison’s game into key areas: run defense, coverage, blitzing ability, role versatility, and special teams prowess.
Run Defense
Much like Roberts, Harrison plays the game with an aggressive, downhill style. They have similar athletic profiles, both clocking in the 4.6-second range for the 40-yard dash and demonstrating impressive explosiveness in vertical and broad jump metrics. Standing taller at 6’2” and weighing in bigger overall, Harrison displays strong athletic ability with a 36-inch vert and a 10’2” broad jump.
On the field, he’s about filling gaps and holding the line. When positioned at his best, Harrison can take on blocks, shedding them to halt runs. You’ll notice him donning the No. 40 jersey in the clips accompanying this breakdown.
In Baltimore, Harrison was versatile, shifting between off-ball linebacker roles and the EDGE position. His ability to set the edge and dismantle blocks or spread runs out to the sidelines adds to his playbook.
However, consistency is an issue. At times, Harrison can be controlled or pushed around too easily.
As a tackler, he maintains good form and can deliver powerful hits. Nonetheless, he sometimes struggles against power runners, having difficulty bringing down big backs like Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren in their 2024 matchups.
In terms of hard numbers, Pro Football Reference noted Harrison with 10 missed tackles, leading to a rather unfortunate 15.6% missed tackle rate. Among the 84 defenders with at least 50 tackles last season, he ranks quite high for missed tackles.
Coverage
When it comes to pass coverage, Harrison operates primarily in the zone. He puts in effort across the field but lacks the range to cover extensive ground effectively. Often, tight ends run past him with ease and quarterbacks can exploit his limited coverage depth. His rare man-to-man plays, such as a touchdown conceded to Cordarrelle Patterson, show room for improvement.
Improving his ability to read plays will be crucial. Currently, Harrison tends to be a bit slow on the uptake, often tricked by deceptive plays, resulting in tardy zone coverage commitment — especially noticeable when compared to his teammate Roquan Smith.
Yet, in open settings, he continues to exhibit solid impact power and is capable of making clean tackles.
Blitz/Rush
Harrison has taken snaps both from the edge and as a rusher in the off-ball spot. He has better success in the latter, using power to push through the line. While effective at times, his technical hand usage during rushes is limited, focusing more on brute strength to penetrate the pocket. Watch him effectively pressure Justin Herbert or handle Najee Harris in various clips as demonstrations of his potential.
Though he collected his first two NFL sacks this season, both came with asterisks. One was more about the quarterback’s error, stepping out of bounds, and the other was a product of a broken play scenario rather than a direct hit.
Usage
In the 2024 season, Harrison juggled between inside and outside linebacker roles. According to Pro Football Focus, his regular season included 64 snaps at left outside linebacker, 98 at right outside, and 196 at the inside position.
He started the season with limited defensive involvement, more frequently playing on the edge than the interior, but gained more playing time after Trenton Simpson was sidelined. His first start came against the Steelers in Week 11, and the bulk of his defensive snaps—316 out of 372—came in the latter part of the season.
Primarily, the Ravens utilized Harrison as an EDGE defender in five-man fronts. During run situations in these 5-1 or 5-2 formations, he was consistently found on the line. In more standard 4-3 or 4-2-5 defensive configurations, Harrison shifted to off-ball duties.
Harrison’s deployment mainly on running downs mirrors the role Roberts filled. He wasn’t a part of obvious passing scenarios like two-minute drills or dime packages.
Special Teams
Harrison brings vast experience from his special teams play, something that shouldn’t be overlooked. Since joining the league in 2020, he has seen an impressive 1,558 special teams snaps, ranking him among the top in the league alongside players like Miles Killebrew and Tyler Matakevich.
In the past three years, his participation on special teams hasn’t dipped below 300 snaps per season. He’s been active across five phases, showing his versatility:
- Kick Coverage: 89 snaps
- Kick Return: 72 snaps
- Punt Return: 65 snaps
- Field Goal Rush: 56 snaps
- Punt Coverage: 54 snaps
Overall, he led the Ravens with 12 tackles on special teams throughout his tenure, which showcases his consistent contributions. Notably, in 2024, he made a minimal-return tackle against the Bengals and blocked a critical field goal against Cleveland in 2022.
Final Thoughts
Malik Harrison seems poised to take on a role similar to what Roberts played. He’ll likely be part of a core group of linebackers in base 3-4 sets alongside Payton Wilson in the nickel and Patrick Queen taking on every-down duties. Where Harrison shines is in his special teams value, helping to maximize his usage despite seeing only 15-20 defensive snaps each game.
The pros? Harrison is younger and brings a stronger special teams portfolio compared to Roberts. His flexibility between inside and outside roles adds a layer of depth, though there’s still uncertainty about how frequently he’ll appear as an outside linebacker. On the downside, Harrison lacks Roberts’ tenacity against the run and falls short in coverage instincts.
The reasons behind Roberts not re-signing remain unclear—financial wasn’t the issue with Roberts accepting a one-year, $3 million deal while Harrison’s contract averages $5 million per year. Perhaps the Steelers wanted to infuse youth into the squad, anticipating a downturn in Roberts’ performance.
From a direct comparison, Harrison’s signing might seem like a step back for a higher price, but the ultimate measure of success will hinge on improving the overall front seven. How the Steelers enhance the defensive line, replacing Larry Ogunjobi, and how second-year progressions pan out for Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen will be pivotal. If Wilson makes significant strides, he could reduce Harrison’s defensive snaps, pivoting him to more of a backup and special-teams-focused role.
