The Pittsburgh Steelers have a tradition of incredible defenses, captained by some of the best linebackers in NFL history. Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, and James Farrior are just some of the names that have held down the middle of the Steelers defense. Now, Payton Wilson hopes to be the next great linebacker for the Steelers.
“I have higher expectations for myself than anyone, and whatever role the Pittsburgh Steelers want to hand me, I’m gonna hit it at 110 percent and try to help this team win the Super Bowl,” Wilson said Friday in a video on Twitter from Aaron Becker of Yardbarker. Whether that’s special teams, whether that’s starting, whether that’s anything else. I’m willing to take a role and do the best I possibly can.”
As a rookie, Wilson will probably see most of his time on special teams to start the year, but his role with the defense will likely grow as the year goes on. While Wilson was drafted late in the third round, reports stated that he only fell due to injury concerns. He has the talent of a player who should’ve gone much higher. While the Steelers have established starters at linebacker in Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts, Wilson’s athleticism could force him onto the field.
Just as well, Cole Holcomb’s status will factor into how much playing time Wilson sees. Holcomb suffered a brutal injury last season and is on the Physically Unable to Perform list to begin training camp. Even when he does return, he may not be the same player, so Wilson may need to stay ready if that is the case.
The Steelers saw first-hand last year how important depth at linebacker is. They suffered a litany of injuries at the position and struggled to really maintain consistency as a result. Having solid linebacker depth will not only shore up the defense, but it will also help in communication.
When injuries happen, and they always do, signing guys off the street can be tough because they’ll be forced to learn a new defense very quickly. Wilson should be familiar with the scheme by the time he’s called upon though, and it looks like he’s ready to contribute in whatever capacity he can.
