The Pittsburgh Steelers either have a problem developing talent, drafting talent, or both. Mike Tomlin’s latest polarizing roster decision is just another example among many in recent years.
After the Steelers struggled to defend the run each of the first two weeks, Tomlin decided to make a change at linebacker, demoting Payton Wilson from a full-time role and promoting Cole Holcomb for early-down work.
Tomlin and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin both described Holcomb as a ‘downhill thumper,’ and they believe he earned a shot at carving out a big role on defense. After all, Holcomb was once a notable free agent signing by the Steelers during the 2023 offseason before suffering a catastrophic knee injury halfway through his first season in Pittsburgh.
Now healthy and ready to lock helmets with opposing running backs, Holcomb is getting a shot to shine… but it doesn’t come without a cost.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can’t afford to stunt Payton Wilson’s development for a short-term fix
There’s no question Payton Wilson has struggled early in the 2025 season. Despite aspirations of being the best coverage linebacker in the league, Wilson has been out of position too often, allowing big plays over the middle of the field. He’s also been washed out of run defense early in the season.
But after what we witnessed from Wilson as a rookie in 2024, there’s much more reason to suggest this is merely a slump than the player he’s becoming.
During his first season with the Steelers, Wilson was fantastic practically every time he took the field. Despite coming off the bench, Wilson recorded 78 tackles, three tackles for a loss, an impressive one-handed interception deep down the sideline, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery that was returned for a touchdown.
At 6’4” and roughly 240 pounds, Wilson showed off elite movement skills with his 4.43 speed and outstanding sideline-to-sideline range. The promise was all there for Wilson to become the next Pro Bowl linebacker in Pittsburgh, and even Pro Football Focus expected him to have a monstrous 2025 breakout season.
So far, this hasn’t happened… but it doesn’t mean that it won’t.
While spelling Wilson for a handful of snaps on defense could prove to be a good thing for the team, demoting him entirely on run downs is bad for his development. As a young, promising linebacker early in his second season on a rookie contract, Wilson was supposed to be the future of this positional group.
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This is no knock against Cole Holcomb, who has done an incredible job to work his way back from a devastating knee injury and still prove to be a solid option at the position. However, Holcomb is 29 years old and already past the average linebacker’s peak in the NFL. His play may only go downhill from here.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have demonstrated a significant issue in developing young players. It doesn’t make any sense why their draft investments on the offensive line would get worse at 24 and 25 years old, or Keeanu Benton and Joey Porter Jr. have regressed on defense since their rookie seasons in 2023.
Payton Wilson is just the latest example of an uber-talented player who is getting his development stunted by Mike Tomlin’s decision to focus on the present rather than the future of this team.
