The Pittsburgh Steelers have the best wide receiver room that the team has rostered in years for the 2026 season, and the group is headlined by both DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. Those are going to be the top two wide receivers on the offense, while Germie Bernard and Roman Wilson are expected to be fighting it out for the third spot on the depth chart. Bernard is only a rookie but he has been praised heavily since arriving in Pittsburgh, but some fans still want to see Wilson find a way to make a consistent contribution to the offense.
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Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson sets up as he prepares to go through a play while the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Wilson was a third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he missed most of his rookie season due to a pair of injuries. He returned healthy for the 2025 season, but his role decreased as the season went on. Eventually he was listed as a healthy scratch for important games at the end of the season, including the team's playoff game against the Houston Texans. This was disappointing for fans that were expecting a breakout year from Wilson, and many members of the fan base found themselves wondering what was going on behind the scenes that was keeping Wilson off of the field.
The young wide receiver recently appeared on The Christian Kuntz Podcast, and he was asked about the fans' various theories for why he was not getting any opportunities.
"There's ways you can go about it, right?" Wilson said. "Would you rather me go on Instagram or Twitter and try to like defend myself? Let them make their stories up man. Because there's the good and the bad, and people like to look on the bad. But you just never know until you know, you know? You've got to let the lore build a little."
There is no doubting that Wilson has had a bizarre career throughout the first two years of his tenure with the Steelers. He initially tweaked his ankle in training camp ahead of his rookie year in 2024, and then when he returned he hurt his hamstring. He was eventually shut down for the year, and then it seemed like he was shut down again in 2025 as he was a consistent healthy scratch.
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Steelers' Roman Wilson fights off a defender during an away game against the Chicago Bears in 2025.
There were plenty of theories as to why Wilson was not seeing the field, but the one that gained the most traction had to do with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has always been very demanding of his wide receivers and he is extremely particular when it comes to how and when wideouts do what they do with each individual route. It was assumed that Wilson might not be meeting the absurd demands Rodgers often presents, and that could have been a major factor in him becoming a non-contributor on offense.
Hopefully the two are able to have a better relationship in 2026 if that is what the problem was, but only time will tell. This will be an interesting storyline to watch once training camp gets underway.
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Steelers rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard participates in team rookie minicamp at Steelers facilities in May of 2026.
Steelers' Germie Bernard May Make Things Hard For Roman Wilson
Pittsburgh traded up and drafted Bernard in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he has been praised heavily by other players and by the coaching staff. He is known for being versatile and he can play in the slot and on the outside, and he is a more-than-willing blocker. He can make things happen with the ball in his hands, and he might make it hard for Wilson to see the field. The two should battle it out for the third wide receiver spot, but it is hard to imagine that Bernard does not have the edge in that battle.
What do you think about these comments from Wilson? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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