Steelers' Roman Wilson Is Once Again Unbelievable In Practice, But Here's Why It Doesn't Matter

It’s safe to say the Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to select wide receiver Roman Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft hasn’t worked out the way they envisioned. The Steelers selected the Michigan product 84th overall with the expectation that he could immediately step in and provide an offense in desperate need of young, trustworthy, and hard-working pass catchers with a reliable target.

The curious case of Wilson has only become more complicated for Steeler Nation to understand. In his rookie season, former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin pointed to Wilson’s early training camp injury as the reason behind his lack of opportunities. Then in 2025, the explanation shifted to Wilson and quarterback Aaron Rodgers struggling to get on the same page.

Now heading into the 2026 season, Pittsburgh isn’t nearly as desperate at wide receiver. That naturally raises questions about Wilson’s path forward. If he couldn’t find consistent opportunities before the additions of Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard, how is he going to do it now? 

Unless Wilson experiences a sudden jump in development and builds the trust needed with Rodgers, the pressure is mounting for him to finally turn his practice success into regular-season production. Steelers fans got more insight after hearing from Mark Kaboly via 93.7 The Fan on Monday.

"No, I’m saying Roman Wilson has been unbelievable throughout training camp [in the past] and practices," Kaboly said while speaking on 93.7 The Fan. "His biggest issue is simply transferring that success onto the field."

When the Steelers made the decision to trade for star wide receiver DK Metcalf, they expected fireworks. Unfortunately, that was far from the reality, as Metcalf went on to have one of the worst seasons of his career. However, not all of the blame can be placed on Metcalf. Pittsburgh’s offense struggled to create opportunities for him throughout the season, despite Metcalf being their primary downfield threat. 

The lack of consistent offensive output made it difficult for him to fully showcase his skill set. That’s why it was so important for the Steelers to land Pittman during the 2026 offseason while also trading up in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft to select Bernard. Both players embody the type of receiver Pittsburgh has historically valued.

But as Steelers fans learned with Wilson, relying on a rookie to immediately step in and produce, regardless of the praise and reputation surrounding them, can be a risky proposition. The difference this time around is that Pittman and Metcalf help take some of that pressure off Bernard as he develops.

Wilson’s work ethic has never been the concern. He fits the mold of a Steelers wide receiver, which is exactly what attracted the team to him in the first place. He consistently stays late after practice, puts in extra work, and takes more reps than almost anyone else. The problem is that the dedication has yet to translate into meaningful production on the field.

Steelers Fans Are Hopeful That Wilson And Rodgers Have Better Chemistry In 2026

Wilson was also present at Rodgers’ offseason team-bonding event, leading some Steelers insiders to speculate that the two could enter the 2026 season with a better understanding of one another. There are still plenty of unknowns surrounding Wilson, but his work ethic is not one of them.

How he will be utilized under Mike McCarthy and new offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio remains another question. However, according to Kaboly, Steelers fans should be careful not to get overly excited about Wilson’s impressive performances once training camp begins in Latrobe.

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