Tag: Payton Wilson

Three Steelers earn spots on ESPN’s 2024 NFL All-Rookie team

Steelers rookies Zach Frazier, Payton Wilson, and Mason McCormick earned All-Rookie honors from ESPN.

Pittsburgh Steelers fans remember just a few seasons ago when the linebacker, guard, and center positions were three of the biggest areas of concern. However, the Steelers’ 2024 draft class brought a long-term answer to all three positions—and ESPN is giving credit where it’s due.

ESPN’s Ben Solak has selected C Zach Frazier as the First-Team All-Rookie center, while LB Payton Wilson and OG Mason McCormick have earned Second-Team All-Rookie selections.

Frazier was chosen as the recipient of the Joe Greene Great Performance Award in 2024—an award given annually to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ best rookie.

Wilson was considered one of the biggest steals of the 2024 draft, as he was reportedly garnering first-round consideration before news of his missing ACL caused him to slide to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round.

McCormick was a much-needed surprise this season, as the rookie stepped up in the absence of OG James Daniels in a big way—anchoring the right guard position from Week 5 onward.

Fans can eagerly anticipate what 2025 has in store for these standout Steelers rookies, as it appears the sky is the limit for Frazier and Wilson.

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Steelers 2024 rookie class ranks among best in NFL

The Steelers rookies did well last season in starting roles.

Oh, what could have been?

2024 was a strange year for the Pittsburgh Steelers and its rookies. Injuries cost the Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu and wide receiver Roman Wilson. These were supposed to be the two impact rookies from this class.

Nevertheless, the rest of this group really stepped up and ended up ranking 8th among all rookie classes according to Pro Football Focus.

The top rookies for Pittsburgh were center Zach Frazier, guard Mason McCormick and linebacker Payton Wilson. Frazier and McCormick stepped in for injured starters and really gave the Steelers hope for what the future of the interior offensive line can look like.

Wilson finished fourth on the team in total tackles despite playing only half of the defensive snaps. Wilson in the lineup full-time in 2025 could be huge for a struggling Steelers run defense.

Hopefully the 2025 draft can treat the Steelers as well as 2024 did and Pittsburgh can finally get this franchise back on track.

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3 Steelers land on All-Rookie team

The Steelers had an excellent 2024 draft class including these three players.

If you looked at the 2024 NFL draft class for the Pittsburgh Steelers immediately after the draft, the two players we expected to see the biggest contributions from would have been offensive tackle Troy Fautanu and wide receiver Roman Wilson.

But thanks to injuries, Wilson and Fautanu haven’t been able to contribute at all. Yet somehow the Steelers landed three rookies on the 33rd Team’s All-Rookie Team for 2024.

On offense, center Zach Frazier and guard Mason McCormick both made the first team. Frazier has been the highest-graded rookie tackle this season and is in the top six of all centers in the NFL. The Steelers have a reputation for great centers and it’s clear Frazier is the latest.

For McCormick, he took over for James Daniels and continues to improve each week. McCormick suffered a broken hand in last week’s game and if he misses this week against the Baltimore Ravens, his presence will be missed.

Defensively, inside linebacker Payton Wilson has made a splash despite not being listed as a starter. Wilson has split snaps almost even with veteran Elandon Roberts and Wilson seems to be involved in every play when he’s on the field. Wilson is fourth on the team with 78 total tackles despite playing fewer than half the total snaps.

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Steelers insider believes injured linebacker could soon return in 2024

Cole Holcomb’s recovery progress sparks hope for his return to bolster the Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker unit.

In what has been a turbulent buildup to the Week 15 contest between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, injuries have plagued both sides of the ball for the Black and Gold. However, one Steelers insider believes that do-it-all linebacker Cole Holcomb may be returning from injury very soon.

In his well-known Steelers Chat on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, insider Gerry Dulac shared an update on Holcomb’s recovery process after being asked to check in. He stated, “Well, I can at least tell you his recovery has been outstanding, and, to me, from what I’ve seen, I wouldn’t be surprised if they add him back to the roster soon.”

Holcomb has been sidelined since suffering a season-ending left knee injury on November 2, 2023, during the Steelers’ Week 9 contest against the Tennessee Titans.

His return would help solidify the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ linebacker corps as arguably the best in the NFL, with LBs Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, and rookie Payton Wilson all playing at an exceptional level.

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Steelers defender was second best LB over past two weeks, per PFF

Payton Wilson has emerged as a standout in the Steelers’ linebacker room, offering hope for the future of the team’s strong defense.

In a stacked Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker room that features the impressive run-thumping talents of Elandon Roberts and the do-it-all, well-rounded Patrick Queen, rookie Payton Wilson has shined the brightest over the past two weeks.

On 21 defensive snaps in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens and 32 snaps in Week 12 against the Cleveland Browns, Wilson has performed as the second-best linebacker in the entire NFL, according to PFF.

Wilson’s speed, agility, and play recognition make him an imposing force in run defense, but his true talents appear to lie in pass defense. Over the past two weeks, he allowed just three receptions for seven yards, and NFL QBs had a dismal average passer rating of 36.5 when targeting him.

The linebacker position has been an area of concern for the Pittsburgh Steelers ever since LB Ryan Shazier suffered h is career-ending spinal cord injury in 2017, and it is exciting to know the future of this strong Steelers defense can rely on the impressive LB room led by Roberts, Queen, and the emerging Wilson.

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Steelers’ DC isn’t keen on treating LB Payton Wilson like a rookie

Steelers’ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin spoke highly of Payton Wilson’s maturity and what it means for the team.

It is clear that not every rookie needs time to adjust to the NFL level of speed.  Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Payton Wilson has been turning heads through seven weeks of the 2024 season with his elite play in both the pass and run defense.  His instincts have further supported the argument that Wilson deserves more play time on defense, as he has been used sparingly thus far.

Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin seems to agree that the rookie linebacker shouldn’t be restrained in any capacity, as his maturity allows for the team to place more trust in his play.

The team would be wise to continue to treat him as a more established player in the league, even though he might have far less experience than other linebackers on the roster.  The admiration that Wilson’s teammates and coaches have for him is backed up by his competitive spirit on and off the field.

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Is Mike Tomlin making another Wilson-sized mistake?

Although rookie Payton Wilson continues wreck offenses on Sundays, he is still being used sparingly. Could this be a mistake by Tomlin?

It appears to be a Wilson-eat-Wilson world for the Pittsburgh Steelers. While QB Russell Wilson has finally been given the opportunity to succeed, it seems HC Mike Tomlin has ‘moved on’ from rookie WR Roman Wilson. Now, LB Payton Wilson could be the next ‘Wilson-sized’ mistake by the Steelers’ head coach. 

The young linebacker has not only excelled through seven weeks of football, but Wilson is also playing like one of the best rookies in the league. Meanwhile, LB Patrick Queen, one of the biggest signings from the Steelers’ 2024 free agency class, hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. While Queen’s play has struggled to say the least in 2024, he continues to get almost double the playing time of his rookie teammate.

Should Wilson be considered for more snaps? And if so, could the Steelers implement a three-linebacker rotation between Queen, Wilson, and the elite Elandon Roberts? Similar to the Week 8 quarterback decision, only one man can get the rookie onto the field more often, and Tomlin may once again be choosing loyalty to a subpar player over another Wilson. 

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Will Steelers’ LB rebound in Week 8 after inconsistent start to 2024?

Patrick Queen hasn’t really lived up the hype that surrounded his signing. Can the linebacker bounce back in Week 8 against the NY Giants?

Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen is due for a breakout game in Week 8, right? While the word ‘elite’ may describe fellow linebackers Elandon Roberts and Payton Wilson, ‘inconsistent’ better summarizes Queen’s 2024 performance.

He’s currently on pace to record his highest number of missed tackles in any of his five NFL seasons, and he’s currently tied for the second-worst missed tackle percentage of his career this year.

With that being said, Queen’s play hasn’t been all bad—he was solid in Weeks 2, 3, and 5. However, one major setback for the fifth-year linebacker from LSU has been his pass coverage. What was once a strength during his final years in Baltimore, has taken a significant step back in 2024 with the Steelers, as he’s allowing an average passer rating of 103.2 when targeted by opposing QBs.

While Roberts and Wilson have been more consistent on the field, Queen has a good chance to bounce back against the struggling Giants’ offense in Week 8.  Tune in to Monday Night Football this week to see if Queen can finally turn things around this season, on October 27th at 8:15 PM EST.

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Steelers rookie Payton Wilson to play vs. Lions after injury scare

Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Payton Wilson has cleared concussion protocol and will play in preseason finale versus Detroit Lions.

Rookie inside linebacker Payton Wilson exited early from the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason matchup with the Buffalo Bills and was evaluated for a concussion.

The Steelers got a bit of good news with Wilson having cleared protocol. Per Alan Saunders of Steelers Now, Wilson will play in Pittsburgh’s preseason finale against the Detroit Lions on Saturday.

Wilson said the preseason has benefited him coming from college in adjusting to the speed of the NFL.

“I’ve really enjoyed the preseason because it’s slowing the game down a lot,” Wilson told Steelers media on Thursday. “It’s not like we’re just jumping right into week one, and then you have to adjust on the fly.”

Given the injury scare, the Steelers would be wise to limit Wilson to a drive or two. While it was never disclosed whether he suffered a concussion, it’s an injury that can’t be taken lightly.

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Steelers LB Payton Wilson makes bold statement after rookie debut

Rookie linebacker Payton Wilson shined in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ preseason opener vs. the Houston Texans.

In action typical of the first game in seven months, the Pittsburgh Steelers were rusty on both sides of the ball in the first game of the 2024 season.

Several highlights and standout players, including rookie linebacker Payton Wilson, came from Pittsburgh’s preseason loss to the Houston Texans.

Wilson finished his NFL debut as the leader in tackles with seven, including one for loss. In coverage, Wilson forced an incomplete pass of Texans’ John Metchie III.

“I’m more worried about the plays that I’ve missed, rather than the ones that I made,” Wilson told the media, via Sports Illustrated’s Bo Marchionete. “There’s always room to improve. My goal is to be the best in the world and there’s definitely a lot of room to get to that.”

Being the best in the world is certainly a bold statement, but something that every athlete strives for. Pittsburgh’s third-round pick has his entire pro career ahead of him to make that happen.

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