The Pittsburgh Steelers have executed a great trade on Monday, as they acquired receiver Michael Pittman Jr. for a late-round pick swap and gave him an extension that does not break the bank. There's quite a bit of excitement here, as they get a complement to DK Metcalf that's just as tall, but is more capable of running crisp routes and getting open. On top of this, Pittsburgh is expected to sign another wideout and/or use a premium pick in the upcoming NFL Draft on that position to truly load up and have a feared group of receivers.
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Former Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. runs with the football during a road game against the Houston Texans in 2025.
With all of this going on in the wide receiver market, there's one young pass-catcher that is still waiting for his chance to shine. During his weekly Q&A chat, insider Brian Batko revealed some concerns with one of the wideouts still on the team: Roman Wilson.
"Hoo boy, who knows what to make of Roman Wilson anymore?" Batko asked. "In theory, he's an ideal player to run out there alongside Metcalf and Pittman. My main issue with him when they drafted him was would he be a slot-only option, and I can't say he's done much to alleviate my concern there."
Wilson was certainly in the doghouse by the end of the 2025 season, whether that was from the coaching staff, Aaron Rodgers, or both. He was constantly a healthy scratch in the last couple weeks of the season after barely getting any opportunities to begin with. Both of his touchdowns in 2025 came in garbage time when the Steelers were down big in the fourth quarter. Clearly, there were a lot of issues behind the scenes.
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Steelers' Roman Wilson catches a pass against the Green Bay Packers during the 2025 NFL season.
With Pittman and Metcalf primarily both being outside receivers and the Steelers most likely switching to mostly 11 personnel on offense, there is more of an opportunity for Wilson to get more snaps as a slot guy, as Batko mentioned that that is his specialty. He doesn't quite have the versatility that Pittsburgh loves, so he could still end up getting buried in the depth chart early on in the season, especially if Rodgers returns.
As mentioned before, the Steelers are far from done with addressing that position. They will almost certainly draft a receiver in the first two rounds, and they could still sign a veteran for depth. After the Pittman trade, it seems like Wilson will likely enter training camp as the WR5 at best. "Who knows what to think of Roman Wilson?" The fans don't know, as they have barely seen him on the field in the regular season.
Steelers May Have To Shop Wilson Soon
Both Metcalf and Pittman are on long-term deals to solidify the outside wide receiver position for the next few years. If the Steelers draft a slot receiver early on, he will be given the typical rookie four-year deal. All of a sudden, there is nowhere for Wilson to be to get significant playing time barring an unfortunate injury. It may be time to just trade him away and allow him to get a nice change of scenery.
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Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson (10) stands on the field as he walks next to teammates while going through stretching during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
On top of that, expectations are that Rodgers will end up returning for another year, and he seemed to not be a fan of Wilson. Even if the former third-round pick ends up on the field running a route, it's very unlikely that Rodgers looks his way. This does not seem to be a good fit for team or player at all. Maybe the Steelers can get a 2027 mid-to-late draft selection by trading him away and starting fresh.
What do you think about Wilson's concerning time in Pittsburgh along with the Steelers bringing in Pittman to help add to the receiver room? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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