Things were pretty sloppy and ugly for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their preseason opener against the Houston Texans last Friday at Acrisure Stadium.
Ball security issues, particularly on the center-quarterback snap exchange, penalties, missed throws and more contributed to a 20-12 loss that drew the ire of head coach Mike Tomlin.
If there is one true positive that everyone can agree upon to take out of the game, that would be the performance of rookie linebacker Payton Wilson.
Wilson played a game-high 44 snaps and showed off his athleticism and range, making plays all over the field. Though he had some issues in coverage, for the most part he was really solid.
CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin believes that the Steelers have “a rising star” in Wilson.
“N.C. State linebacker Payton Wilson dropped in the 2024 NFL Draft to the Steelers in the third round not because of ability but rather his injury history,” Dubin write. “However, he balled out against the Texans with a game-high seven tackles, playing the run extremely well and not looking out of place in coverage.
“As long as he can stay healthy, the Steelers got themselves another defensive rising star on their hands.”
Health is the key with Wilson. Though he stayed healthy his final two years at North Carolina State, he has a long, concerning injury history, which caused him to drop in the draft. The Steelers decided to take a chance though and so far he has impressed.
Wilson has earned praise in training camp from teammates and coaches. Then against the Texans, he showed that all the hype is real, making a tackle for loss on his first snap in the NFL, earning praise from head coach Mike Tomlin in the process.
It’ll be interesting to see what his role is right away as a rookie on a loaded Steelers defense, but one thing is certain: he is forcing the Steelers” hand to get him onto the field. Once he gets onto the field, he might never come off.
Wilson’s been quite impressive, and all indications are he’s going to be a real piece for the Steelers, if not in 2024, then long-term when he becomes a full-time starter. He’s a rising star in Pittsburgh at least and should start to garner more attention nationally once the real games begin.
