The Pittsburgh Steelers have reshaped their inside linebacker room this offseason, letting veteran Elandon Roberts walk in free agency while replacing him with former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Malik Harrison in free agency.
The Steelers are also set to see Cole Holcomb return and selected Washington LB Carson Bruener in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft a few weeks ago.
They’ll have to replace that downhill thumper in the run game in Roberts, but second-year pro Payton Wilson looks poised to take on a larger role defensively.
In fact, Pro Football Focus highlighted Wilson as the Steelers’ breakout candidate for the 2025 season.
“Wilson fell in the 2024 NFL Draft because of injury concerns, though he played an entire season as a rookie, earning solid grades for the position, including a 77.3 coverage grade that ranked tied for sixth at the position with fellow rookie Edgerrin Cooper,” PFF’s Jonathon Macri writes. “Wilson’s Year 1 role was that of a rotational piece in Pittsburgh’s defense, playing just over 500 defensive snaps.
“Following Elandon Roberts‘ departure and considering Patrick Queen‘s struggles, Wilson should absorb a larger role in Year 2.”
Wilson found himself in a great spot behind both Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts to start the 2024 season, allowing him to get his feet wet without having significant responsibilities.
But as the season progressed, Wilson forced his way into a larger role due to his play. From Week 12 through the postseason, Wilson played 30+ snaps in five of the nine games, including 41 snaps against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Week 18 finale, which was the second-most snaps of the season for the North Carolina State product.
In total, he played 520 defensive snaps, including the postseason, and graded out at a 74.7 overall from PFF, including a 62.0 against the run, and a 77.3 in coverage.
Wilson had an absurd interception against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11, ripping the ball out of running back Justice Hill’s hands before falling to the ground. He then had a fumble return for a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13.
Now, he’s slated for more snaps next to Queen in 2025, which should allow him to really tap into his athleticism and potential and fly around making plays like he flashed at times last season.
The only reason he fell in the 2024 NFL Draft was due to medical concerns regarding his knee, but the Steelers took that risk on him. Now they are poised to be rewarded in a big way in 2025, should Wilson reach his potential as an off-ball linebacker.
