Ben Roethlisberger Drops Strong Warning To Omar Khan Ahead Of Steelers' First-Round Pick

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a completely new era now that Mike Tomlin is no longer the leader. Mike McCarthy takes over and is eager to end the playoff win drought in the Steel City. To do so, he and Steelers General Manager Omar Khan know how important it will be to have a great 2026 NFL Draft. The draft is hosted in the city of Pittsburgh for the first time in franchise history, marking a historical moment for the organization and its fan base. The Steelers are also loaded up with plenty of draft capital, giving them flexibility to make some exciting moves.

With that in mind, all eyes are on how Pittsburgh approaches the early rounds, especially with several roster needs still to address. The team has been searching for more consistency on offense, and adding dynamic playmakers could be a major priority. Having the draft in their home city only adds to the pressure and excitement, as fans will be expecting bold decisions that can quickly turn the team back into a contender.

Former Steelers players James Harrison and Joe Haden, along with special guest Ben Roethlisberger, were recently on their podcast, Deebo & Joe, discussing all things around the NFL. When the conversation turned to Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger offered some clear advice for Khan and McCarthy about when to take a wide receiver. He emphasized patience in the first round, suggesting the team should focus on building strength in the trenches early before targeting receiving talent later, where strong value should still be able to be found.

"You are still missing some pieces at wide receiver, and I think you can fill another spot at wide receiver in the draft," Roethlisberger said. "I would not go there in the first round, but I would definitely consider it in the second round."

The Steelers made the decision to trade for Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts. He is a do-it-all type of wide receiver and pairs nicely with DK Metcalf. Now, the Steelers finally have their WR1 and WR2 spots figured out, but with Calvin Austin III leaving in free agency, there is a clear gap in the depth chart behind them. At WR3, many are hopeful that Roman Wilson is finally ready to take that spot, but no one truly knows if he is capable just yet.

That is why Roethlisberger still believes the Steelers should draft a wide receiver. Preferably not in the first round, but he does think it is fair and smart to start considering the position in the second round, where the team could find strong value while continuing to build out the offense.

Adding another young receiver would not only provide insurance, but also create competition within the room, something that often brings out the best in developing players. It would also give the offense more versatility, allowing them to rotate different skill sets depending on matchups. If Wilson does emerge, the group suddenly becomes a strength, but if not, the Steelers would not be left scrambling midseason to fill a key role.

Steelers Still Have Faith In Roman Wilson

When the Steelers drafted Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, they believed he could step in and be productive as a rookie. An early injury in training camp limited that opportunity, but even in the 2025 season, despite the Steelers’ wide receiver room being desperate for someone to step up, Wilson was never able to seize a consistent role.

With a new regime in place, it will be interesting to see how his development unfolds moving forward. Still, many pundits believe the team has not given up on him and continues to have faith that he can eventually carve out a meaningful role in the offense.

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