The Pittsburgh Steelers finished up their preseason on Thursday night, and the team now has until Sunday to finalize the 53-man roster. The third and final preseason game has become a chance for younger players on the roster to get an extended look and put good things on tape, as the final roster is usually decided for the most part by this part of the preseason. The coaching staff is simply paying attention to who might be on the practice squad while deciding the last few spots on the roster. There are also some position battles going on in Pittsburgh that still need to be decided, and the preseason finale gave some hints as to how the first depth chart might look.
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Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson (10) stands on the field as he walks next to teammates while going through stretching during a 2025 training camp practice at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
One position battle is for the third wide receiver spot. Roman Wilson has been battling rookie Germie Bernard throughout training camp and the preseason. Bernard has looked good as he scored on Thursday night and made some big plays earlier in the preseason, but it seems like Wilson has a firm lead on him in the race for the third wide receiver spot. That was evident as Wilson got the night off on Thursday and was able to rest while other players took the field.
Wilson's future in Pittsburgh has been questioned by a ton of people. Many have believed that he could be cut or even traded for some late draft picks, but he is going to be a contributor for the Steelers in 2026. Beat writer Mark Kaboly confirmed this on a recent episode of his podcast, Kaboly + Mack.
"I mean Roman, they like him, man," Kaboly said. "They like him a lot. Those who think that he might be on his way out, I've got some bad news for you, it ain't happening. Not only that, he's going to be starting too. Now, how long he holds onto it is up to him."
Kaboly strongly believes that the coaching staff and others within the franchise love Wilson, which means his roster spot was never really in jeopardy. His career hasn't been spectacular, but there is still time to turn things around. That could happen in 2026 as he is running out of time in the Steel City to make a name for himself at the professional level.
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Steelers' Roman Wilson smiles while he walks on the field during an away game in 2024.
Wilson struggled with injuries during his rookie season in 2024, and he then struggled to get on the same page with quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2025. He was eventually benched as the team brought in some veteran wide receivers for Rodgers to throw to later in the year. Fans are hoping for a different result in 2026. The veteran quarterback and Wilson seemed to be on the same page throughout training camp, which hopefully is a good sign of things to come during the regular season.
Steelers' Roman Wilson Has To Hold Off Germie Bernard
Wilson's job might be secure for now, but Bernard is right behind him and he is looking to make an impact immediately. Both players have the ability to play in the slot and on the outside, and they are going to be fighting to take away snaps from one another. Wilson will likely get the first look as a starter while Bernard is the fourth wide receiver on the depth chart. It is unclear how long the leash will be for Wilson, but it is fair to assume that it will be pretty short considering the struggles he had with Rodgers in 2025. If they aren't on the same page early on in the regular season, Bernard might get an early look as the third wide receiver.
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