As training camp kicks off Thursday at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe for the Pittsburgh Steelers, concerns at the wide receiver position are still present, as the team does not have a true WR2 behind George Pickens.
While veterans Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller and Quez Watkins bring plenty of NFL experience to the table, none of the trio should be counted on for much more than a WR3 or WR4 role under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Knowing that, it opens up a real opportunity for third-round rookie receiver Roman Wilson in the Black and Gold.
Wilson, entering his first training camp after a stellar career at Michigan, is the Steelers rookie with the “most to gain” in training camp, according to Pro Football Focus’s Ben Cooper.
“The Steelers traded wideout Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers this offseason, leaving their depth chart thin on proven production at the position. George Pickens is now expected to pair up with the rookie Wilson to jumpstart a new-look Pittsburgh offense. The third-round pick could very quickly become a star,” Cooper writes for PFF.com. “Wilson operated primarily from the slot at Michigan, where his speed shined brightest. He crushed the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine with 91st-percentile marks in the 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds) and 10-yard split (1.51 seconds).
“His new teammate Calvin Austin III ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash in 2022, so Steelers training camp may be a track meet as Wilson looks to cement his spot as a worthy starter.”
After trading Diontae Johnson to the Panthers to acquire cornerback Donte Jackson, the Steelers never adequately replaced one of the best route runners and separators in the league. Though they brought in plenty of experienced veterans, none of those guys can even come close to matching Johnson.
Wilson could be that guy though, even with him being projected as primarily a slot receiver in the NFL.
While Pittsburgh loves Wilson as a player and sees a lot of Hines Ward-like qualities in him, his projection to the NFL level is still a major one. Even with Wilson being more of a slot receiver than a guy who can play on the boundary, there is no denying his overall ability. He is tough as nails, blocks his tail off and makes some huge plays in contested-catch situations.
He’ll have plenty of opportunities throughout training camp under wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni to try and carve out a role offensively, though the emergence of Calvin Austin III this offseason just adds another player he’ll have to leapfrog in the pecking order to do so.
But fact of the matter remains that there is a great opportunity ahead for Wilson with so much uncertainty at the position for the Steelers. All Wilson has to do is be himself and do what he did in college, which was be a dependable, physical receiver who caught almost everything that came his way and moved the chains on a consistent basis, all while blocking his tail off in the run game.
