It might be time to have a serious conversation about a recent Steelers draft pick who was supposed to be a revelation on defense
It’s just not good enough right now.
When the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Payton Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it immediately seemed like a steal. The only reason that arguably the best inside backer in that class lasted that long was due to injury concerns.
So far, Wilson has proved durable. He played sparingly in his rookie season, but the flashes were evident. The talent, the speed, the tenacity, it screamed a rebirth at the inside linebacker position. But through two weeks, and especially when looking at his film against the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson is falling short, and it’s starting to become concerning.
“It’s frustrating that we have some of the most talented guys to ever play their position in here,” said Wilson after the game. “For it to happen to them, for me to miss an assignment, you don’t want that to happen. It’s just frustrating, but it’s football. You’ve just got to get back in there and get better and push forward.”
Payton Wilson struggled mightily against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2
If you look purely at the box score, you see nine tackles and a sack. You would probably think Wilson had a great game. And it should be noted that Wilson was visibly ill at times during the contest. But when he was in there, it was clear that the Seahawks were targeting him in the run game.
What’s concerning from the film (more clips coming) is that a lot of this is not a technical issue. It’s not “Hey, use your hands here, shed the block there,” etc. A lot comes from the fact that Wilson is more of a coverage body type. He is not Elandon Roberts, to create an analogy to a former Steelers inside backer. He doesn’t bring a run-stopping presence, and whether it’s fullbacks or tackles, teams are going at him:
Wilson posted an abysmal 47.2 PFF grade while playing over 50 snaps on Sunday. He was far from solid. What he has to start doing is avoiding blocks altogether. His technique can’t be to stack and shed; it has to be evasive maneuvers. He needs to get to the ball cleanly because when the opposing team gets into his chest, he’s just along for the ride.
I’m still hopeful regarding Wilson. I believe he can be the Steelers’ inside backer of the future, but right now, there are some serious concerns and obvious areas where he needs to improve. It’s on the Steelers’ coaching staff as much as it is on Wilson to make sure that happens.
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