Steelers' Omar Khan Gives Honest Critique Of Roman Wilson

The Pittsburgh Steelers can't have 2025's wide receiver problems show up again if they want to be a true threat in 2026. Down the stretch, their key targets were a midseason waiver claim and an old friend of Aaron Rodgers' that is well past his peak that was also signed in the middle of the season. The team was quick to admit that its plan for the receiver room did not work out and scrapped everything. That can't happen for the second year in a row, especially with some returning players expected to take a step forward. 

One of these potential big pieces will be Roman Wilson, a receiver who ended up in the doghouse in favor of the aforementioned wideouts. He has displayed his talent with his ability to separate from opposing defensive backs, but that was not enough to keep Rodgers from screaming at him on a regular basis before he eventually became a healthy scratch. That is not at all what you want to see in what is essentially a redshirt rookie.

Hopefully, things can turn around for him in 2026. In his latest press conference, General Manager Omar Khan gave an update on the status of the young receiver before training camp officially kicks off. 

"You guys have heard me talk about how I feel about Roman [Wilson]," Khan said. "I feel really good about him. He's been working hard since Day 1 with this staff here. They're excited about him."

If these coaches are coming in excited about Wilson, that should hopefully mean that he gets more chances to prove himself and show what he can be. He is expected to start the year as the WR3 over Germie Bernard, and with this new offense that's expected to run more 11 personnel, that should mean that he is in line to be a starter. He still has a lot of work to do if he wants to keep that role, however.

One aspect of Wilson that has never been questioned is his work ethic. He goes all in at practice all the time, trying to take every opportunity to learn and grow in this offense. He's always been all about football first ever since his days as a high school kid in Hawaii. He hasn't made all these sacrifices just to be Rodgers' personal punching bag when things go awry. This is his shot to truly make his mark in the NFL, and it is likely his last chance in Pittsburgh. 

If Wilson can't take that next step forward and develop chemistry with Rodgers in 2026, he's practically gone after the season ends. There's no question that he has the talent and work ethic to make it, but if it doesn't work out, he may just need a change of scenery to get back on his feet and show the world who he really is. If the upcoming campaign is disappointing, Pittsburgh would likely have no problems trading him away for a late-round pick.

Steelers Are Still Trying To Figure Out Wilson's Main Problem

Wilson is a very odd player. In practice and preseason, he is absolutely dominant. He can run all the routes and make all the catches, but for some reason, that just doesn't translate to the actual games. The Steelers have to figure this problem out quickly and get their young wideout out of this funk before he ends up getting benched for a waiver wire pick-up again. This can't be how it ends for all parties involved.

If he can get all that to translate, everyone may start talking about Wilson as a star player in the NFL. The tools are all there; the work ethic is beyond compare. He just needs to show it during meaningful games. With a new system that's much more friendly to Pittsburgh's offense, this should be his best chance to prove himself as the high-end receiver that the Steelers expected when they drafted him.

What do you think about Khan praising Wilson? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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