Steelers' Roman Wilson's Roster Status Could Be In Jeopardy Now

The Pittsburgh Steelers went into the 2026 offseason with several obvious weaknesses on the roster. The clearest one was probably the wide receiver position, as it has been a problem for the better part of the last two years. The organization brought in DK Metcalf during the 2025 offseason, but then traded away George Pickens, which meant Metcalf would be the only true, reliable weapon in the passing game. Adding talent at wide receiver is only going to open the offense up for Pittsburgh, but it also might mean phasing young wide receiver Roman Wilson out of the organization.

Wilson was Pittsburgh's third-round pick back during the 2024 NFL Draft, and he has shown some promise when he has been on the field. He missed most of his rookie year as he only appeared in one game, and he struggled to get playing time consistently in 2025 because Aaron Rodgers didn't seem to love him, and Mike Tomlin had him in the doghouse at times. It is a new regime in Pittsburgh with Mike McCarthy running the show now however, and fans are hoping that might be good news for Wilson. That probably isn't the case after the organization traded for and extended Michael Pittman Jr. though, especially since the position will probably be addressed in the 2026 NFL Draft as well.

Beat writer Ray Fittipaldo was asked about the situation with Wilson during a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan, and he did not have a good outlook on the young wide receiver.

"As far as Roman Wilson goes, listen, if they draft two receivers, he's probably battling one of those draft picks for the fourth or fifth receiver spot," Fittipaldo said. "I don't think there's any way right now that he climbs up to number three. If they draft a receiver in the first or second round, that guy is going to get preferential treatment I think. I think they're gonna ramp him up and get him ready to go, especially with a new coaching staff."

Things certainly do not look good for Wilson after the Pittman addition. It is obvious that Metcalf and Pittman are the first and second wide receivers on the depth chart, and he is expected to have a decent amount of competition for the third wide receiver spot by the time training camp rolls around. 

Pittsburgh has the 21st overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, along with a ton of draft capital, and wide receiver is still expected to be a position of focus (despite the franchise just acquiring Pittman). A wide receiver could be selected in the first round of the event, or Pittsburgh can wait until the second or third round. Any rookie wide receiver that is selected on Day 1 or Day 2 of the NFL Draft would probably get preferential treatment over Wilson as Fittipaldo alluded to.

Steelers' Roman Wilson Should Worry About His Roster Spot

Worrying about moving up the depth chart is one thing, but Wilson may have to worry about just making the team in 2026. Metcalf and Pittman are locks to be on the roster, and the same can probably be said about Ben Skowronek due to his abilities on special teams and as a blocker in the run game. If the Steelers draft two wide receivers, which seems very likely, that is five wide receivers that will probably make the team. Wilson would be the sixth. Teams around the NFL frequently keep six wide receivers on the active roster, but it is important to note that Wilson was not a player that McCarthy was a part of the draft process for. He is not his player.

Cutting Wilson would be harsh, and the Steelers probably wouldn't want the bad look of cutting a Day 2 pick just two years later. Maybe he becomes a potential trade candidate as the start of the season grows closer.

What do you think about the future of Wilson? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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