The Pittsburgh Steelers have not found their answer to the wide receiver two (WR2) issue. Van Jefferson, who they believed could fill that spot, has been disappointing so far this season and Calvin Austin III has been inconsistent when it comes to his workload. The Steelers have missed on their opportunity trading for wide receiver help -- most recently Davante Adams. While there are still names out there that Pittsburgh could acquire in a trade, their third round pick is looking to be the answer to their problems when it comes to a reliable number two option.
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Steelers' Roman Wilson catches footballs during camp.
Roman Wilson, who made his NFL debut against the Las Vegas Raiders, didn't see many opportunities to get involved in the pass game. Wilson only saw five snaps on offense and did not receive a target. When talking to media, Wilson was asked what he is working on to get more involved and more snaps this season.
"Just everything. Route running, blocking, knowing the plays, knowing all of the positions, knowing the intent of the play. Just a little bit of everything," explained Wilson.
Wilson was also asked by the media if the coaches have given him any feedback in his first week of action. He said he hasn't received too much from them, but was happy to get the opportunity to get in there, even for a short amount of time.
"You know, not too much it just felt like ball out there. Guys were good, guys are moving a little faster, but at the end of the day, it's still football. So it was good."
Wilson was selected with the 84th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The standout wide receiver from the University of Michigan helped the Wolverines to a National Championship. He finished his senior year with 48 receptions for 789 yards and 12 touchdowns, and was named Second Team All-Big Ten.
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Steelers' Roman Wilson makes a catch during practice.
Wilson has been a healthy scratch for a few weeks after coming back from his ankle injury he suffered in the beginning of training camp. Wilson's ability to create separation and running good technical routes is what drew the Steelers to him. The coaching staff is starting to feel more comfortable with where he is at health wise and conditioning. He has had a few weeks of full participation to catch up to speed, but needs more game experience to really start making a difference for the Steelers.
The Steelers' receiving options outside of George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth have been almost nonexistent this season. They have combined for just 21 catches for 269 yards and only one touchdown. In Week 6, Austin was the only receiver outside of Pickens to have an impact -- 2 catches for 36 yards. The Steelers need someone else to help take attention away from Pickens, especially with the possibility of Russell Wilson playing in Week 7.
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Pittsburgh Steelers' rookie wide receiver, Roman Wilson (10) during his first minicamp in 2024.
Steelers Need Answers In The Wide Receiver Room
With the lack of production so far into the season by the wide receivers surrounding Pickens, the coaching staff and front office knows something needs to change. The Steelers were unsuccessful in adding Brandon Aiyuk or Adams and still are looking across NFL rosters for help. If Omar Khan is not able to pull off a trade to help the receiving core, they could be looking at their young receiver as a true option to help boost the pass game.
Wilson is hoping to see more than just five offensive snaps on Sunday Night Football against the New York Jets and maybe see a few balls thrown his way. One game where he makes plays is all that it takes to get the full support and trust from the coaching staff and he looks to do that sooner than later.
Can Wilson elevate his play to help the Steelers' pass game? How will his workload compare in Week 7 to Week 6? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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