Steelers Now
Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen were the Pittsburgh Steelers’ top tackles last season. But numbers don’t tell the entire story. With those two stationed at the inside linebacker spots of their defense, the Steelers had the seventh-worst defense last season, allowing 356.9 yards per game.
The Athletic’s Mike Jones believes the success of Patrick Graham’s defense will hinge on Wilson and Queen this upcoming season.
“The Steelers are always associated with physicality and punishing defenses, but Pittsburgh has proved average against the run and ranked among the bottom third in the league on third downs,” Jones wrote Thursday. “The Steelers have invested heavily in their defensive line, but for new coordinator Patrick Graham to truly make improvements in this department, he’ll need improved execution from inside linebackers Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson.
“Both have the athleticism to make plays all over the field, but Graham will need to help each learn how to play with greater discipline and better execution so they become true tone-setters.”
Wilson racked up 126 combined stops a campaign ago, while Queen registered 120. The next-nearest leading tackler was defensive back Jalen Ramsey, with 88 and who is also aiming to have a huge say in how the unit fares.
Queen is also in the final season of a three-year, $41 million deal and was the subject of trade talks with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason.
“(There) was talks here and there, nothing crazy,” Queen said during OTAs. “Obviously, I’ve seen the whole charade that went on over this offseason, but (there’s) talks. Obviously, no movement, either way, and at the end of the day, they’ve got business to handle, I’ve got business to handle, and my business is to go out there and play the best football I can and put myself in a good position, put our team in a good position, so we can both can be successful.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Analyst Names Biggest Question Marks on Patrick Graham’s Steelers Defense
