The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a litany of injuries in their preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, but none may have been more disappointing than Payton Wilson’s. Wilson suffered a concussion, but he was supposed to be a fun player to watch for the Steelers throughout this process. Injuries were the only reason he fell in the draft, and he had been impressing throughout the offseason. NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks recently spoke about how much he believes in Wilson’s potential.
“I love him, man,” Brooks said on his Move the Sticks podcast. “He was one of my favorite prospects in the draft. I just love the way he plays. I know people talked about how the medical probably led him to drop, but in terms of the position, he plays the position like you should play it as a top pick. He was a first-round talent that fell and the Pittsburgh Steelers benefit from it. He is gonna make a lot of plays.”
Wilson hasn’t looked perfect in the preseason action he has seen, but all the things that make him exciting have been on display. His size, athleticism, and feel for the game are apparent. He has missed some tackles and also struggled in coverage at times, but overall, it has been more good than bad.
Young players make mistakes too, so it’s alright if Wilson isn’t immediately mistake-free. He shouldn’t need to start this year either with Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts on the team. Wilson should still see a lot of time in the Steelers’ dime package, giving him opportunities to get on the field and improve.
Wilson just needs to stay healthy. Concussions are unfortunately part of the game, so this recent injury shouldn’t be held against him. If Wilson can avoid any serious injuries, he should be able to beat the perception that he’s injury-prone.
It remains to be seen if Wilson can work his way back in time for the Steelers’ last preseason game. It wouldn’t be surprising if he doesn’t given the nature of concussions, but it would be nice to see him in action one more time before the real games begin. Making sure he’s healthy is the most important thing though. It’s cliche, but availability is the best ability. Wilson can’t showcase his incredible talent if he isn’t on the field.
