The Steelers need Payton Wilson to step up this season

Being objective isnt being a stick in the mud though.


Being objective means being rooted into the reality within perspective.

 

I was going to say that

 

If what we are hearing is true it will be even more complicated for the defense. Guys moving around all over. Gotta know not just your position but everyone else's.

 

Sort of but not really

More complicated yes knowing everyone else……..

DBs always need to know what each other are doing

DL always need to know what each other are doing

DL and DB knowing each other not si much a little on blitz

 

Well....


Mike MacDonald has proven himself to be the best overall Defensive Playcaller in all of Football. That definitely helps for certain. It also helps that he is both innovative and creative.


Let us see what Patrick Graham can do. I for one am intriguied.

 

Wilson is much taller, faster, and better in coverage overall than Queen. He’s also more likely to make splash plays as a blitzer and has a real nose for interceptions. At his current cheap cap number, his value relative to performance is excellent.

His run defense is the main limitation. It requires a strong DT who can hold up at the point of attack and keep offensive linemen off him. Wilson can struggle to shed blocks once engaged. A very good off ball ILB who can shine when he is kept clean. It will be up to the coaches to play him at the right time and spot.

In my opinion, he should be wearing the green dot and calling the defense. 3rd down defense is the key down IMO.

Asside for a very good NT, a very good 3 down ILB vs. the run and pass is an aboutle need for next year.

 

yes i agree fully. macdonald in his 2nd year here is as good as it gets as a position coach. the moving guys around will be mostly for the OLB'ers and in blitz packages i believe. ramsey will play a role in that moving around in the secondary. really maybe a couple of players at a time doing some different things. should help us and confuse them.

 

I would guess this because teams have adjusted in game to what our defense was doing. Wilson probably prepared all week for one thing and then the defense adjusts and he struggles at knowing how to react to it.

 

This . In game adjustment have been a problem for him, but as has been said, lots of players have it all slow down, and a light goes off in their heads by year 3, or 4. I believe he has all the talent in the world, and hope it does for him.

 

i thought he might get some more work in the rotation. nice to see.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...S&cvid=6a30013099aa4ae5b7d0c2511df67e5a&ei=55

jeh's old neighbor's kid. he is fast. they could use the cap room if harrison is cut.

 

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because of ?? coaching. After all, Bush seemed to thrive in Schwartz's defense, not so with Austin/Tomlin.

 

Bush

“Thrive”

LMAO

 

And your point…….

 

It's the moustache.

 

Learning is fun....

 

Well then I’m very happy for you

 

Actually Bush has played 7 years, and with 3 teams, and has only had two good years, and arguably his best was still in Pittsburgh.
One in Pittsburgh, and one in Cleveland. So I'd wait, and see.

 

He seems to leave out that arguably his best year was with Pittsburgh, and that he has played 7 years for 3 teams, and has had 2 good years. One with Pittsburgh, and one with Cleveland.
Sometimes things are said so much people believe them without looking.

 

People need a reason to bash even if not true

 

Sure. Every season after shredding his knee he got a little better in PIT. Then Old Man Carroll's defense for a few games. Once he got a legitimate DC in Cleveland he looked better. In 2024 & 2025 he was ranked better than Queen by SIS.

I was one of Bush's biggest bashers when he was with the Steelers. But that doesn't mean the guy couldn't turn things around for himself. Be interesting to see what happens after the change in coaching this year. Schwartz was a top tier DC (Browns can't help themselves).

 

Still doesn't change that his two best years were one year in Pittsburgh, and one year for the Browns my friend.
I didn't know we were ranking him against Queen. I thought it was the discussion of where Bush played his best, and arguably if you look at the stats, his best year was in Pittsburgh, and his 2nd best was his last year in Cleveland.

 

Can't say I disagree here. The ILBs could very well be the weakest unit on the field. It's very anti-Steeler-like.


Steelers’ ‘Tackling Machine’ Trending Toward Draft Regret

By Shane Shoemaker
Updated Jul 11, 2026 at 5:23pm

There’s perhaps no team historically that has prided itself more on defense than the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s at least been the standard under head coach Mike Tomlin.

Just about no team in the league has invested as much in its defense over the last several years as the Steelers. Most of that investment has come through the draft. However, not every pick has worked out the way they hoped.

The latest could be linebacker Payton Wilson, who Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton says is trending toward bust status in 2026.

Steelers LB Patrick Wilson Gets Bust Warning
Wilson enters Year 3 of his NFL career after being selected No. 98 overall in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Known as a tackling machine at NC State, where he recorded 402 combined tackles in four seasons, Wilson appeared to be a perfect fit in Pittsburgh.

That just hasn’t quite been the case through two seasons.

“Payton Wilson is headed into a crucial year for his development,” Moton wrote. “In 2025, he logged a team-leading 126 tackles (six for loss), two sacks, two pass breakups and an interception across 17 games (four starts).”

It’s his difficulty in pass coverage that’s the concern.

“Wilson has shown the traits to earn a two-down role in run support, but he must show improvement in pass coverage for a true breakout year,” Moton added.

Even though a majority of Wilson’s snaps (571) came in the box, his second-most frequent alignment was at slot cornerback (109 snaps), per Pro Football Focus. He allowed two touchdowns and a 104.7 passer rating when targeted last season.

That’s just not good enough in Pittsburgh. And if that continues, Moton believes those lapses in coverage could cost Wilson significant playing time moving forward.

Steelers Linebackers May Be Huge Problem In 2026
Off-ball linebacker in general is considered a concern for the Steelers heading into 2026, with ESPN’s Mike Clay identifying it as the team’s biggest weakness.

And it wasn’t just Wilson who drew criticism. Patrick Queen did as well.

“Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson are back as the starters, and that might not be a good thing after Pittsburgh ranked 27th in run stop win rate (28.9%) last season,” Clay wrote. “Queen remained an every-down player last season but slipped to 61st among 67 qualified off-ball linebackers in PFF grade (he ranked 54th among 69 qualified in 2024).”

Still, Moton isn’t counting Wilson out just yet, believing he can take a significant step forward despite battling for snaps with some of the team’s veteran depth last season.

“Wilson could make a Year 3 leap, though he struggled to fend off Cole Holcomb and Malik Harrison, who both remain on the roster, for snaps last season.”

The Steelers are hoping that’s exactly what happens. While Wilson’s production has been solid on paper, Pittsburgh needs him to become more than just a tackling machine. The organization drafted him believing he could develop into an every-down linebacker capable of staying on the field in any situation.

With Queen also facing questions and the Steelers lacking proven depth behind their starters, the pressure will be on Wilson to show growth in coverage and become a more complete defender.

If he can do that, Pittsburgh’s linebacker concerns could quickly fade. If not, the criticism surrounding one of the franchise’s recent defensive investments will only continue to grow.