Markus Golden, a former Steelers OLB, could return to the club.
Markus Golden entered the NFL in 2015 and has had a very successful career. This includes seasons with 12.5, 11, and 10 sacks throughout his career. In other words, Golden isn’t merely an undrafted free agent signed by the Steelers. He is a really established veteran pass rusher who has demonstrated the ability to create plays. None of that has altered this year either. Golden recorded four sacks in limited snaps off the bench. As the primary rotational pass rushers, Golden and Nick Herbig contributed to the team’s strong pass rush throughout the season. However, Golden is currently a free agent, and Bleacher Report feels he could be one of the greatest deals on the
“The finest years of Markus Golden’s career are likely behind him, but he can still be a competent pass rusher. Last season, he only played 22% of the snaps in Pittsburgh. He recorded four sacks, including a fifth in the postseason, demonstrating his ability to provide crucial depth at a critical position,” they stated. The Cardinals selected the 6-foot-3, 260-pound linebacker from Missouri in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, two choices after the Steelers chose cornerback Senquez Golson.
Golden made an early impact for the Cardinals, starting six games as a rookie and then bursting out with a 12.5-sack season in 2016. He missed time with injuries in 2017 and 2019, then departed Arizona to sign as a free agent with the New York Giants. Golden had a 10-sack season with Big Blue in 2019 and re-signed in New York for 2020. In October 2020, he was dealt back to the Cardinals for a sixth-round pick. In his first full season back in the desert in 2021, Golden recorded 11 sacks. He also had four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one pass defensed.
However, inconsistency remained a concern for Golden. In 2022, he started 14 games, the second most in his career, and appeared in all 17, but recorded only 2.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss. Now, he might return to the Steelers to help solidify the outside linebacker position. However, in his one season with the Steelers, he was extremely reliable off the bench, giving the Steelers someone they could rely on all season to provide a pass rush when Watt and Highsmith needed a break. Pittsburgh could still use some depth there, and Golden remains a valuable free agent. To say the least, it would not be all that unexpected if the Steelers looped back around to see if Golden.