The Pittsburgh Steelers may not be Super Bowl contenders, even with the addition of future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But they may have one of the NFL's best defenses.
As usual, it always starts with seven-time Pro Bowl pass rusher T.J. Watt at the Will linebacker spot. Patrick Queen, one of their inside linebackers, teams with Watt to form one of the league's best duos at that position group.
The Steelers' other starting inside linebacker in coach Mike Tomlin's 3-4 defensive alignment is Payton Wilson. Wilson started in just four games last year, but Queen sees a lot of promise in him.
According to Queen, Wilson's best attribute is his swagger, and that quality could take the North Carolina State University product very far.
"I think Payton got, like, a certain swagger to him that you just know he's different. Once he learns how to have that confidence fully, he'll know there's nobody in this league that can mess with him. The dude, he's a dog, he's a competitor and I know he's gonna bring it out soon. I definitely think there's more. I think there's another level, maybe two levels that he could tap into and just be that guy."
Last season, Wilson recorded 78 total tackles (49 solo), three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and two passes defended. In Pittsburgh's wild-card playoff round loss to the Baltimore Ravens, he had six tackles (three solo) and one tackle for loss.
A substantial number of his snaps came on special teams in 2024. But the team expects him to become a star, and Tomlin has been impressed with Wilson's development.
During his final year in college, Wilson won the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Butkis Award and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award. He did have a history of injuries while at North Carolina State University, and that was presumably a big reason he fell into the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft and into the Steelers' laps.
The Steelers have young studs elsewhere on defense, including cornerback Joey Porter Jr., and Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is in the prime of his career. They were eighth in points allowed last year, and they could improve on their defensive metrics this fall.
If they do so, Wilson will be a major part of that improvement.
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