Steelers' Final Piece To Offensive Puzzle Likely To Emerge In Week 3

As the NFL new league year began in March, the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to be aggressive in several different areas. One of those was at the wide receiver position, but it hasn't necessarily been looked at as a positive. General Manager Omar Khan traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for Donte Jackson and a swap of picks. Jackson has performed well through two weeks, but the main concern has been the lack of production from the wide receiver position for individuals not named George Pickens. Someone is going to need to step up moving forward if the offensive unit is going to start putting more points on the board.

New Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith's scheme is bound to focus on the run, but the unit is only averaging 3.6 yards per carry when running the football. As the offensive line gets more in sync, that number will improve, but there's no doubt that another weapon in the passing game could potentially relieve some of the stress being put on the ball-carriers.

Fans guessed that the front office for the Steelers would draft a wide receiver to replace Johnson extremely early on in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the franchise waited until the third round, when University of Michigan pass-catcher Roman Wilson fell to Pittsburgh at the 84th overall pick. Unfortunately, he has battled an ankle injury since training camp and hasn't been able to prove that he can make an immediate impact as a rookie. Now, that appears it could change.

There's no telling whether Wilson will be eased into play or if he will get a significant amount of snaps right off the bat. Regardless, it's possible that he sees some targets and opens up the field a bit more for Pickens. Aside from Pickens, Van Jefferson is second in the wide receivers' room with just three catches for 15 yards. The group is showing to be what many thought it would be: reliant on Pickens.

Wilson put up respectable numbers for the National Champion Wolverines back in 2023. He hauled in 48 catches for 789 yards, but where he really stood out was the red zone. He caught 12 passes that ended up being scores. With Pickens and Pat Freiermuth being closely watched in the red zone, Wilson could step in a be a secret weapon that helps the team transition out of the field goal phase and into the touchdown one.

Pickens has fielded a lot of attention through two weeks, but is still making plays and finding ways to get open. If there were another reliable option that could be moved around the field, it could help the offense exponentially. It may not be fully evident in Week 3, but just the idea of getting to see Wilson in a black and gold uniform for the regular season will have fans looking forward to what's to come.

He was looked at as a potential second-round pick, but ended up falling into the third, which is when Khan finally pulled the trigger on fulfilling the need the team had at wide receiver. It might be finally time to see what Wilson is made of.

Steelers' Wilson Will Go Against Former Friend In Week 3

Los Angeles Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh was Wilson's coach during the wideout's time at Michigan. It turns out that the player's professional debut will come against the coach that helped him develop into an NFL-caliber prospect. Fans may not get a full sample size due to his long absence with the ankle injury, but the first taste of Wilson should come Sunday, and he could be a massive addition to the offense.

Do you think that Wilson is the Steelers' missing piece on offense? Let us know in the comments below!

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