Steelers Now
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report recently projected every NFL team’s biggest potential bust for the 2026 season. In regards to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Moton is not high the outlook of inside linebacker Payton Wilson‘s career.
“Payton Wilson is headed into a crucial year for his development. 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).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 wrote.
“Although Wilson stood out as a tackling machine, he struggled in coverage, allowing two touchdowns and a 104.7 passer rating. With Patrick Queen’s inconsistencies as a cover defender, the Steelers need a reliable linebacker on obvious passing downs.”
Inside linebacker was tabbed as the Steelers’ biggest weakness on their roster by ESPN.
“Off-ball linebacker. 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). 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.”
Former Steelers free safety Ryan Clark also recently revealed that Steelers’ assistant coach and secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. told him the inside linebacker play needs to improve drastically this season.
“You have to get better play from the linebacker position. I know PG [Patrick Graham] is gonna have to figure that out from the defensive coordinator standpoint,” Clark said Monday on The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny. “Joe Whitt Jr., who’s now the actual — he’s the assistant head coach — and those are conversations I’ve had with him.
“I’ve had conversations with him about how do you fix the second level of this defense? That’s extremely important.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Analyst Tabs Payton Wilson as Steelers’ Biggest Bust
