New Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has been urged to prioritize improved play from inside linebackers Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson. The Athletic's Mike Jones wrote that the pair must deliver greater discipline and execution to help transform the league's most expensive defense.
Jones noted that the Steelers have ranked average against the run and in the bottom third of the league on third downs. He said both Queen and Wilson possess the athleticism to contribute widely but need coaching to become consistent tone-setters for the unit.
Queen signed a record external free-agent deal with Pittsburgh yet has dealt with missed tackles, communication lapses, and dropped interceptions. Jones suggested Graham place Queen in situations that reduce pre-snap processing and allow faster play.
Wilson shows a solid missed-tackle rate but struggles with gap discipline and often runs past assignments into blocks. Entering his third season, Wilson can become a free agent next offseason, while no extension for Queen has been reported.
Pittsburgh spent significant draft time on the inside linebacker position yet selected none with its ten picks in 2026. Jones concluded that improved play from the defensive line and secondary leaves the linebackers without excuses.
