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When looking at the Pittsburgh Steelers roster, there are positions which are desperate for quality depth. Think along both the offensive and defensive lines, the secondary and even wide receiver. All have talent at the starting positions, but most lack the depth to make the organization, and the fan base, comfortable with who they have in the back up positions.
The one position which doesn't have to worry about quality depth would be the position of Inside Linebacker (ILB).
Anchored by 2014 Pro Bowler Lawrence Timmons, Ryan Shazier looks to rebound from an injury prone rookie campaign to cement his spot next to Timmons as the starting duo on the interior of the team's 4 linebackers in their 3-4 scheme. Like I said, the Steelers have talent across the board, but it is the depth which has most concerned about potential injury situations throughout the season.
Sean Spence and Vince Williams round out the top 4 ILBs on the team's roster, and they both are more than capable of playing if called upon.
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Williams played a large role throughout his rookie campaign of 2013 when Larry Foote was lost for the season with a torn biceps. Known for his ability to stop the run, Williams' only true weakness is his ability to pass cover in space. Williams saw his playing time decrease in 2014 with the drafting of Shazier, but also saw the field in certain sub packages when Shazier was out of the lineup.
Spence is a true comeback story if you've ever heard one. Touted as Foote's eventual replacement, Spence had a gruesome knee injury which kept him out of the lineup for nearly two seasons. Spence battled his way back through the knee injury and a hand injury in 2013 to finally see the field last year. Spence had his number called early and often, and filled in for Shazier when he was injured as the starter alongside Lawrence Timmons.
Essentially what you have are four potential starters with only two positions. So what will the team do with this wealth of talent at ILB? Nothing. The team will take Timmons and Shazier as their starters entering training camp with Spence and Williams as the quality depth they provided in 2014. Not many teams can say they have four potential starters at any position, but the Steelers certainly can say that regarding the quality of players they have on their roster at ILB.
The Steelers depth is great at inside linebacker, and very well could be the best group in the AFC, and possibly the NFL. Not many teams could suffer injuries to their starting ILBs and not have the drop off in production be that precipitous, but the Steelers can say just that. If fans are worried about specific positions on the team, the inside linebacker position shouldn't be one of them. The proof is in the pudding.