Steelers Are Turning A Forgotten Receiver Into A Secret Weapon

The Pittsburgh Steelers are trying to make one of their receivers increasingly difficult to locate before the snap. Inside on one play, outside on the next, perhaps motioning somewhere else before the defense has finished sorting out the first picture. In Mike McCarthy’s offense, having a permanent spot at wideout may actually be a disadvantage.

Roman Wilson is becoming one of Pittsburgh’s most movable pieces. The former third-round pick entered the summer with plenty to prove after two quiet NFL seasons, but offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio believes Wilson’s ability to handle several receiver spots is becoming an important part of what the Black and Gold can do offensively.

The philosophy predates training camp. McCarthy said in July that Wilson and Germie Bernard had shown enough during the spring to play all three receiver positions. Wilson has since continued working from the slot and on the perimeter rather than being handed one label and told to stay there. Pittsburgh’s initial depth chart even listed him with the starting group.

That is a notable shift for a pass-catcher whose first two professional seasons never developed much rhythm. Injuries disrupted Wilson’s rookie year, and he appeared in 13 contests in 2025 while catching 12 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. The new coaching staff gave him a clean slate, and his opportunity now appears broader than simply competing to become Pittsburgh’s primary slot option.

During a recent media availability, Angelichio explained why the Steelers continue moving Wilson around the formation.

“Rome’s continuing to grow and get better. And I think the more we continue to have him out there, you see him playing inside, you see him playing outside… He’s been inside, he’s been in the slot, he’s been outside, he’s been moving around, and that’s where we want to continue to push with all our receivers. So, it allows us to play the game on our terms,” Angelichio said.

The final sentence is the important football piece. If Wilson can handle X, Z and slot responsibilities without Pittsburgh substituting, McCarthy can change the picture while keeping the same personnel on the field. The offense can break the huddle in one alignment, motion into another and force defenders to communicate on the fly without giving them the courtesy of a personnel change first.

That can expose coverage, too. A corner traveling with Wilson can provide an early clue that Pittsburgh is seeing man coverage. A defender passing him off through motion may hint at zone. The Steelers can also hunt individual matchups by moving Wilson away from a particular corner or forcing a safety or linebacker to account for him in space.

None of it requires Wilson to become a gadget player. He can still run ordinary NFL receiver concepts; Pittsburgh is simply changing where those routes originate. Defensive backs would probably prefer everyone to remain where the depth chart says they live. McCarthy appears less interested in helping with the paperwork.

The staff has been building toward this throughout the summer. McCarthy praised Wilson’s ability to threaten defenses vertically while also handling option routes, underneath work and crossers. He later said the receiver had done such a good job inside that Pittsburgh wanted to increase his outside snaps because his speed could threaten corners on the numbers.

That progression fits the new role Wilson entered camp chasing. Instead of replacing one departed player by copying his responsibilities, Pittsburgh can use Wilson’s speed and versatility to create a much less rigid job description.

Versatility also gives Wilson more ways to survive a much deeper receiver room. Bernard has pushed for opportunities of his own, and the Steelers spent the offseason strengthening a group that badly needed more dependable options. If Wilson can only function from one spot, his playing time depends heavily on the pecking order there. If coaches trust him everywhere, there are more routes onto the field.

The mental demand rises with that freedom. Learning multiple receiver positions involves more than memorizing a larger route tree. Wilson has to understand different splits, motion responsibilities, landmarks and coverage adjustments while maintaining the timing expected by the passer. One mistake from a wideout can make an otherwise correct throw look terrible, particularly in an offense built around precision.

Angelichio’s comments suggest Wilson is making enough progress with those details for Pittsburgh to keep expanding the assignment. The coaching staff would not gain much by moving him constantly if every new alignment required simplifying the rest of the concept.

Steelers Can Make Roman Wilson Valuable

The next step is converting versatility into regular-season production. Positive camp reviews only carry so much weight after Wilson’s first two years failed to produce a consistent offensive role. Pittsburgh needs the movement to create actual catches, favorable matchups and explosive plays once defensive coordinators start preparing specifically for McCarthy’s system.

Wilson at least appears to have removed one potential limitation. He is no longer being discussed as a receiver Pittsburgh needs to protect from certain alignments. Official team coverage noted earlier in camp that McCarthy believes Wilson can line up at X, Z and F, giving the offense considerably more flexibility than a slot-only player would provide.

That freedom also fits the larger vision McCarthy has described for the position. He wants his wideouts capable of playing multiple spots so Pittsburgh can manipulate matchups rather than allowing the defense to dictate them. Wilson’s development gives the Steelers another piece capable of participating in that shell game.

After two seasons spent trying to establish one dependable job, Wilson may finally have found the better answer. The Steelers do not necessarily want him to own one position anymore.

It wants defenses wondering where he is.

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