Second-year inside linebacker Payton Wilson and third-year nose tackle Keeanu Benton were expected to be key pieces of a star-studded defense for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2025 season. The two in the middle of the defense were expected to take significant steps forward, elevating their games to another level.
Two weeks into the season though, that hasn’t happened. In fact, in the case of Benton, there’s seemingly some regression going on, too, raising concerns.Â
Wilson hasn’t been any better, either, struggling as a run defender and getting picked apart in pass coverage, too.
The two young pieces aren’t the only problems defensively, but they are the targets right now. For former Steelers nose tackle and current analyst Chris Hoke, it might be time for the Steelers to create some competition for the two young players and start playing some veterans behind them.
Appearing on the 93.7 The Fan Pomp and Joe Show with Joe Starkey and Bob Pompeani Thursday, Hoke believes competition breeds success, and it’s time to push the young players with some veterans.
“So sometimes competition will help the cream rise at the top, will help guys elevate their games. So putting Cole Holcomb in there and rotating him and Payton Wilson, is that gonna help Payton elevate his game? Or does he feel…I don’t know the answer to that,” Hoke said of the Steelers needing to push younger pieces, according to video via 93.7 The Fan on YouTube. “But, would it make Payton feel a little more on edge and make him maybe elevate his game ’cause of the competition rather than was it was a position just anointed? Does he feel the pressure? For Keeanu Benton, you put Yahya Black and you start rotating him every other series at that nose tackle. Keeanu’s thinking, ‘I better play doggone technique or I’m out, I’m sitting on the bench’ and you tell him, ‘listen, you don’t play the way that Steelers play, you don’t play technique, you’re standing next to me on the sideline.’
“Guy wants to play, he’s gonna play technique. But right now he’s not playing technique. …If you put a little pressure on these guys and let them know, ‘hey, there’s some competition here,’ and they have the guys that do that in those two positions, do it.”
Iron sharpens iron, as Mike Tomlin likes to say, and competition can breed success. While the Steelers had high hopes for Benton and Wilson (and they still should, to be fair), the performances from the two young players so far this season hasn’t been good enough.
Granted, the Steelers are banged up along the defensive line and Benton needs to play, but there’s nothing stopping the Steelers under defensive line coach Karl Dunbar from giving rookie Yahya Black or veteran Daniel Ekuale extended snaps at nose tackle. Benton’s performance can’t make him untouchable right now.
He’s struggling mightily, getting pushed around in the run game and really isn’t generating much rushing the passer.
Wilson has been a mess against the run, too. He’s struggled to get off blocks when linemen are reaching the second level, and he’s not playing up to standard in coverage, allowing six receptions on all six targets for 114 yards this season. Sure, he sits second on the Steelers in tackles with 15, and recorded his first career sack in Week 2, but a lot of those tackles are too far downfield, especially in the run game.
The rep in the fourth quarter in Week 2 against Seattle in which Seahawks fullback Robbie Ouzts blasted him in the hole, taking out Patrick Queen in the process, was a microcosm of the issues Wilson is dealing with.
So, maybe it’s time to work Cole Holcomb into the mix now that he’s fully recovered from his knee injury in 2023. Giving the veteran some run in hopes of cleaning up some of the run defense issues could push Wilson, much like it did last season when he shared time with veteran Elandon Roberts.
The ceiling is still very high for Wilson as an every-down linebacker in the NFL, but he’s off to a rough start. The Steelers have options to lean on at inside linebacker behind him to try and lighten his workload a bit, put him in more advantageous situations, and still try and push him.
The same goes for Benton. Competition breeds success. Time for the Steelers to lean into that experienced depth.
