The Pittsburgh Steelers’ first preseason game of the year didn’t have many positive takeaways. There was obviously a lot of rust that needed to be worked off, but one bright spot was rookie linebacker Payton Wilson. Wilson is an athletic freak who only fell in the draft due to injury concerns. If he stays healthy, he has the potential to be an exceptional player. Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl seems to be overjoyed that the team managed to land Wilson.
In a video posted to the team’s website, Weidl was asked how he felt about being able to add Wilson to the Steelers.
“When you watch Payton [Wilson], he jumped off the tape,” Weidl said. “His production spoke for itself, in both phases, run, pass, pass rushing. His range is exceptional. His 40 time was a 4.43, and the play speed matched it. His eyes work as fast as his feet. We did our due diligence on him.”
Weidl absolutely gushes about Wilson, and for good reason. Wilson was so good in college that he received both the Butkus Award, which is the award for the best linebacker in college football, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is awarded to the best defensive player in college football. You don’t win those awards for being average. You win them for being a cut above the rest.
Wilson easily could have been the first linebacker selected in the 2024 draft, but he had serious injury concerns. However, during training camp, players have raved about Wilson’s ability. His athleticism and size pop when watching him, and although he had some errors in the first preseason game, he looked like he belonged in the NFL.
In that same interview, Weidl echoed those sentiments, showing his belief in the kind of player Wilson can one day become.
“That guy loves football. He lives football. He’s all football. His physical attributes, you’re seeing him on the field, the range he has. Right off the bat, the other night, you saw him make some plays, and he wasn’t perfect, but he’s gonna keep getting better and better because that guy loves the game so much, and he lives it.”
Wilson has said time and time again that he absolutely loves football. That kind of dedication should help him become the next great Steelers linebacker. He doesn’t even need to start this year, and if Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts can stay healthy, Wilson should be able to work mostly in dime packages, where his speed can really shine.
The Steelers have been searching for an athletic linebacker like Wilson since Ryan Shazier got injured. Devin Bush was not the answer, and any free agent the team has brought in hasn’t filled that void either. Roberts was effective last year, and Queen has shown he is one of the best linebackers in the league. With those two players to learn from, Wilson has a great wealth of knowledge in the room with him.
Wilson won’t be perfect this year, but if he can minimize his mistakes as the year goes on, he should be in line for a big role with the Steelers going forward. Missed tackles seemed to be the main issue against the Houston Texans, but it was his first game, so he should be cut a little slack.
If that problem persists throughout the rest of the preseason, and going into the regular season, Wilson might have more work to do. However, Wiedl and the rest of the team have been so impressed with Wilson, so there should be optimism about him going forward. Fans should just keep their fingers crossed that he stays healthy.
