The Pittsburgh Steelers are back in the swing of things with training camp underway. They are looking to prove that this is not the same team that keeps barely getting over .500 and knocked out immediately in the playoffs. There have been plenty of changes made to training camp already, with many of those expected to trickle into the regular season as well. Anything less than a playoff win will be seen as a bad year in the eyes of the restless fans that want a different outcome.
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Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy stands on the field and looks off into the distance as he watches players take part in rookie minicamp during a workout in Pittsburgh, PA.
It sounds like things are already starting to get better. While attending training camp, Nick Farabaugh detailed how Roman Wilson may finally be turning a corner in his development.
Roman Wilson getting a lot of looks from Aaron Rodgers today. That connection has looked a lot better than yesterday when they had 2 miscommunications.
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) July 30, 2026
Wilson has easily been the most targeted player here through two days.
Wilson has had a very rough time in Pittsburgh so far. His relationship with quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been shaky at best, and the first day of training camp seemed like more of the same with the constant miscommunications. Everything started on the wrong foot again, which made it seem like he would quickly fall down the depth chart and have to fight for his spot on the 53-man roster.
That doesn't seem like the case now. The very next day of camp, Wilson and Rodgers seemed to finally be on the same page. The veteran quarterback is putting in a lot of effort to work with him and make sure they are both ready to go for the regular season. This will be a connection to watch for throughout the next few weeks to see if the rapport keeps up or if it's just a one-off.
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Steelers' Roman Wilson celebrates after making a big play on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025.
If this keeps up, Wilson will be a in pole position to be third third wideout on the depth chart to start the season. With the new offensive scheme, that means he will likely be an every-game starter. His work ethic is there, and he has the talent and motivation to get it done. He just has to make sure that he and Rodgers are on the same wavelength. If so, this could be a breakout year for the former third-round pick.
Steelers Won't Know If Wilson Is Ready Until Week 1
There is still one massive knock on Wilson. He has shown all of these positive traits in practice since he finally got healthy in 2025, but it didn't matter then. For some reason, his amazing practices and preseason games just have not translated to the regular season at all. If he can't get it done then, these practices really mean nothing. He has to play this great in meaningful games consistently.
Wilson may win the WR3 role out of preseason, but he can lose it quickly if he keeps struggling during the games. He got benched late in the 2025 campaign, and it can happen again. Another year of great practices followed by poor showings on game days will not be tolerated by Rodgers or the Steelers staff. This has to be a good sign for the future, not just a repeat of the previous year.
This will most likely be Wilson's last chance to prove that he has actually turned a corner. He does have one year left on his contract, but he can quickly be buried. With two well-paid veterans leading the charge along with rookie receiver Germie Bernard looking to develop, the former third-round pick can easily fall into backup status. That will especially be the case if Pittsburgh drafts another receiver in the middle rounds of the 2027 NFL Draft.
What do you think about Wilson doing great in practice? Is it for real this time? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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