Steelers' Biggest Defensive Problem Isn't Patrick Queen Or Payton Wilson

The Pittsburgh Steelers have heard plenty of criticism about their inside linebacker play, but not everyone believes Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson deserve all of the blame. The position has been called one of Pittsburgh’s biggest concerns, but one recent discussion pushed back on the idea that the linebackers were the entire problem.

Queen and Wilson are entering a huge season under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Queen is in a contract year and still trying to become the player Pittsburgh hoped it was getting when it signed him away from the Baltimore Ravens. Wilson, meanwhile, has the athletic profile to become a long-term piece, but he still has to prove he can be dependable every week.

During a recent episode of The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio, Wes Uhler and Matt Williamson discussed ESPN’s roster rankings, which listed off-ball linebacker as Pittsburgh’s biggest weakness. Uhler did not fully agree with the way the position was being framed.

“I think Patrick Queen has been good in his time in Pittsburgh where we were hoping he would be great,” Uhler said. “I think Payton Wilson has been serviceable when we were hoping he would be really good.”

That is probably the fairest way to describe the linebacker room. Queen has not been a disaster, but he has not been the high-end difference-maker the Steelers wanted. Wilson has flashed, but he has not turned those flashes into consistent high-level play. Both players have left the team wanting more, but the conversation cannot stop there.

Williamson pointed to a bigger issue in front of them. If the defensive line is not keeping blockers off the second level, linebackers are put in an almost impossible spot.

“Queen and Wilson, they just had offensive linemen in their laps,” Williamson said.

That line gets to the heart of the argument. Inside linebackers are often judged by tackles, run fits, and missed plays, but their job becomes much harder when guards and centers are climbing freely into their space. If a linebacker has to beat a block before even getting to the ball carrier, the defense is already behind. That does not excuse every mistake, but it does explain why some of Pittsburgh’s linebacker issues may have been tied to the front.

The Steelers have invested heavily in the defensive line for a reason. Cameron Heyward remains the veteran standard, Keeanu Benton is still growing, Derrick Harmon gives Pittsburgh a first-round building block, and Yahya Black adds size and depth. If that group plays cleaner in 2026, Queen and Wilson should have a much better chance to show what they can actually do.

Pittsburgh’s run defense cannot be fixed by one position group alone. The linebackers have to read faster and tackle better, but the defensive linemen also have to control gaps, absorb double teams, and prevent offensive linemen from getting free releases into the second level. When that structure breaks down, everyone behind it looks worse.

This is where Graham’s arrival could change the conversation. His defense will need better communication and more discipline, but it also has to put the front seven in roles that fit their strengths. Benton should not be forced into a role that takes away his ability to penetrate. Black has to become more reliable against power. Harmon has to keep developing as an interior piece. If those things happen, Queen and Wilson will be working in a cleaner environment.

The Steelers have already seen their inside linebacker group labeled as a major roster concern, so this is not a minor storyline. Opponents are going to test the middle of the defense until Pittsburgh proves it can hold up. Queen and Wilson will be central to that test, but the line in front of them has to do its part.

Queen still has pressure on him. He is being paid like a player who should help settle the middle of the defense, not someone who needs everything perfect around him. Wilson also has pressure because his athleticism creates expectations. The Steelers need him to become more than a fast linebacker who makes occasional splash plays.

Steelers Need Cleaner Defensive Line Play

The best version of Pittsburgh’s defense does not ask Queen and Wilson to solve everything on their own. It lets the defensive line control the first wave, then allows the linebackers to run, fill, and finish. That is how the Steelers can get more out of both players.

Uhler and Williamson’s pushback is important because it adds context. Queen and Wilson need to be better, but the Steelers also need to stop putting them in bad situations. If offensive linemen are constantly reaching the second level, the linebackers will continue to look exposed.

The 2026 season should provide a clearer answer. With Graham running the defense and a deeper defensive line in place, Pittsburgh should have fewer excuses in the middle. If Queen and Wilson improve with better help up front, the Steelers may find out the linebacker room was not as weak as it looked.

If they do not, the criticism will only get louder.

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