Steelers Have Huge LB Issue on Their Hands

Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson (41) returns an interception against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Steelers Have Huge LB Issue on Their Hands

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Oct 3, 2026 4:28 PM ET

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There's no way around it, the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense completely dropped the ball in the team's Week 4 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Missed tackles were a theme throughout the game for the Steelers as it fell by a score of 27-24, and the starting tandem of Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson were amongst the biggest culprits in that regard.

After a rough 2025 campaign, there was some faith that both players could turn things around in a new system led by defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

In Queen and Wilson's third season playing alongside one another, however, there's an argument to be made that it's never been quite this bad.

Highlighting the Mishaps

The most damning piece of evidence for Queen and Wilson's collective poor performance on the game has to be the way the former's misplay on Jaleel McLaughlin's 28-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter.

Queen first overpursued McLaughlin as he ran outside the tackles and towards the sideline before cutting back inside and heading upfield. From there, rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion essentially blocked Queen out of the play.

Watch Patrick Queen. https://t.co/RsJPNNkR8v
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) October 2, 2026

As for Wilson, he had a perfect opportunity to take down Raheim Sanders and couldn't despite getting his hands on him as he fell to the ground on a spin move by the Cleveland running back right around halfway through the third quarter.

He also was in the wrong position on a screen pass to Concepcion towards the end of the second quarter and later fell when chasing him from behind as the Browns picked up 25 yards on the play.

In total, Pro Football Focus credited Wilson with missing three tackles on the night and Queen with two.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Steelers Have to Realize Queen and Wilson Aren't Working

Whether it's in coverage or against the run, Queen has been incredibly inconsistent and truthfully a disappointment for Pittsburgh not just this season, for the entirety of his three-year, $41 million contract that he signed back in March 2024.

Wilson showed some promising flashes as a rookie and has always been lauded as a particularly skilled coverage linebacker, but he hasn't really shown any development over the past two seasons and feels like more of a low-end starter or backup than a true impact piece.

Queen and Wilson are far from the only issues for the Steelers both on defense and as a whole. That being said, it's been clear for quite some time now that they just aren't viable starters in the middle of the team's defense, and that was on full display in the loss to the Browns.

Pittsburgh doesn't really have anywhere to pivot, as it's no guarantee that the likes of Cole Holcomb and even Carson Bruener would be any better if they were given more of a shot moving forward.

At the very least, though, the Steelers cannot bring Queen back once his contract expires after this year, and they also have to think long and hard about moving on from Wilson if he doesn't turn things around either.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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