The Pittsburgh Steelers have undergone several changes this offseason, most recently on the defensive side of the ball with the trade of Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
One of the lesser-discussed departures was that of Elandon Roberts, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. With Roberts gone, a bigger role will be coming for second-year linebacker Payton Wilson. The North Carolina State product had a very strong rookie season, racking up 78 tackles, three of which were for loss.
Wilson is most known for his coverage abilities, which he made note of after the Steelers’ first training camp practice.
“We run a lot of man here,” Wilson said. “That’s definitely beneficial to my skillset. I feel like I’m one of the better coverage linebackers in the world, to be honest. I feel like any tight end, any running back that lines up out there, I’m willing to go toe-to-toe with them. I’m excited for whatever role they give me.”
2nd-yr LB Payton Wilson loves how much man defense the Steelers play: “I feel like I’m one of the best cover linebackers in the world, to be honest with you.” pic.twitter.com/Qo3rm3l426
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) July 24, 2025
Wilson made his abilities in coverage known in 2024, his best play coming against the Baltimore Ravens in which he ripped a potential completion away from running back Justice Hill for an interception in the Steelers’ 18-16 win. His PFF coverage grade of 76.0 ranked 10th among 189 qualified linebackers.
