The Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster has experienced some hefty turnover since the end of the 2023 season. The changes on offense are the most discussed with a completely overhauled quarterback room, multiple new receivers, and a few rookie offensive linemen. But the defense, which was already very good in 2023, received plenty of new pieces as well.
Larry Ogunjobi, Alex Highsmith, and T.J. Watt joined Cameron Heyward on his Not Just Football podcast during training camp, and they each offered their most surprising newcomer to the Steelers’ defense. The question was framed as “surprising” but they noted it could just be a newcomer they like.
“Payton [Wilson], especially after the preseason game,” Ogunjobi said. “Just how he flew around. Played fast, loves football. You can tell by his attitude.”
ILB Payton Wilson was one of the Steelers’ third-round draft picks. Many thought that he was the top inside linebacker in the 2024 NFL Draft on talent alone. Injury concerns pushed him down the board and created what was one of the best value picks of the entire draft for the Steelers.
The medical concerns were primarily with his knees, but he has shown no signs of that being an issue. The NC State product is the fastest linebacker on the team and is not shy about throwing his body into the pile.
Here is one of his better plays from the preseason, Wilson navigating through traffic and closing for a tackle just behind the line of scrimmage.
“Beanie’s been having a heck of a camp and he’s been balling, so Beanie Bishop [Jr.],” Highsmith said. “Excited to see him balling in this camp, and so excited to see him get better.”
Bishop surprisingly ran with the first-team defense for most of the first two weeks of camp. Once Grayland Arnold returned from injury, Bishop’s first-team role seemed to be at risk, but Arnold landed on IR. His only other competition (Thomas Graham Jr.) was cut at the 53-man roster cutdown, so Bishop is the guy for now. The team will likely add someone, but the undrafted rookie will have an opportunity to play over the first half of the season before Cameron Sutton returns from an eight-game suspension.
“I think D-Jack on the edge,” Watt said of cornerback Donte Jackson. “Just a guy that’s real scrappy at corner and just been able to talk a lot of…smack while he has been making plays. So the energy he’s brought has been awesome to see.”
More than almost any other team, Pittsburgh’s defense is often playing in front of a friendly, energized crowd full of Steelers fans. Jackson’s trash talking will add some personality to the defense and provide an upgrade at outside corner opposite Joey Porter Jr.
He also adds an element of speed that the defense was missing in 2023 with Levi Wallace and Patrick Peterson in the secondary. With Porter likely to take on opposing teams’ top receivers, Jackson is perfectly suited to cover the No. 2 receivers. Check out clips of all of his career pass breakups from my film room from the offseason.
All three of those additions should play large roles on defense. This also isn’t including Patrick Queen or DeShon Elliott. Without many departures in the offseason, the Steelers’ defense has added a lot of talent and is poised for an exceptional season.
